💊 Dexamethasone (Dexamethasone)
Dexamethasone tablets are a synthetic adrenocortical steroid taken by mouth, used mainly for their anti-inflammatory effects in disorders of many organ systems. It is available by prescription only; your doctor or pharmacist sets the dose and duration according to your condition and response.
In Arabic: ديكساميثازون
🏷️ Brand names & manufacturers
Packages shown are US-market (DailyMed). Brands available in Palestine are in the price section below.
Maxidex🏭 Harrow Eye, LLC
Ozurdex🏭 Allergan, Inc.
Dexamethasone🏭 Kanchan Healthcare Inc
Dexamethasone🏭 Redpharm Drug, Inc.✅ What it is used for
- Severe or incapacitating allergic conditions not controlled by conventional treatment (asthma, atopic dermatitis, contact dermatitis, drug hypersensitivity reactions, allergic rhinitis, serum sickness)
- Dermatologic diseases (bullous dermatitis herpetiformis, exfoliative erythroderma, mycosis fungoides, pemphigus, severe erythema multiforme/Stevens-Johnson syndrome)
- Endocrine disorders (adrenocortical insufficiency, congenital adrenal hyperplasia, hypercalcemia associated with cancer, nonsuppurative thyroiditis)
- Gastrointestinal diseases: to tide patients over critical periods in regional enteritis and ulcerative colitis
- Hematologic disorders (autoimmune hemolytic anemia, Diamond-Blackfan anemia, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura in adults, pure red cell aplasia, selected secondary thrombocytopenia)
- Diagnostic testing of adrenocortical hyperfunction; trichinosis with neurologic or myocardial involvement; tuberculous meningitis with subarachnoid block (with antituberculous chemotherapy)
- Palliative management of leukemias and lymphomas
- Nervous system: acute exacerbations of multiple sclerosis; cerebral edema associated with brain tumor, craniotomy, or head injury
- Ophthalmic diseases (sympathetic ophthalmia, temporal arteritis, uveitis, ocular inflammatory conditions unresponsive to topical corticosteroids)
- Renal diseases: to induce diuresis or remission of proteinuria in idiopathic nephrotic syndrome or that due to lupus erythematosus
- Respiratory diseases (berylliosis, idiopathic eosinophilic pneumonias, symptomatic sarcoidosis, fulminating or disseminated pulmonary tuberculosis with antituberculous chemotherapy)
🧪 Active ingredient
The active ingredient is dexamethasone, a synthetic adrenocortical steroid that is readily absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. It modifies the body's immune responses and is used mainly for its anti-inflammatory effects. At equipotent anti-inflammatory doses it almost completely lacks the sodium-retaining property of hydrocortisone.
🌿 Benefits
- Reduces inflammation in disorders affecting many organ systems
- Controls severe allergic conditions
- Helps control symptoms in immune, blood, skin, and respiratory disorders
- Reduces cerebral edema associated with tumors, surgery, or head injury
📝 How to use
- Take the tablets by mouth exactly as prescribed by your doctor.
- The dose varies by disease and individual response and is set only by your doctor or pharmacist.
- Do not change the dose or stop suddenly after long-term therapy; gradual withdrawal under medical supervision is recommended.
- Tell your doctor if you face unusual stress (surgery, injury, illness) during treatment, as the dose may need adjusting.
💊 Dosage forms
- Tablets of 0.5 mg, 0.75 mg, 1.5 mg, 2 mg, 4 mg and 6 mg (bottles of 100 tablets)
⚠️ Common side effects
- Increased appetite and weight gain
- Nausea and abdominal distention
- Headache, insomnia, and mood swings
- Acne and increased sweating
- High blood sugar
- Fluid retention and high blood pressure
- Muscle weakness
- Impaired wound healing and easy bruising
- Moon face
🚨 Serious — seek medical help
- Severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) and angioedema
- Severe infections or worsening of existing infections, with masking of infection signs
- Peptic ulcer with possible bleeding or perforation; intestinal perforation
- Osteoporosis, pathologic fractures, aseptic bone necrosis, and tendon rupture
- Cardiac arrhythmias, congestive heart failure, and thromboembolism
- Convulsions, depression, personality changes, and psychic disorders
- Glaucoma, increased intraocular pressure, posterior subcapsular cataracts, and blurred vision
- Pancreatitis
- Adrenal and pituitary suppression, especially in times of stress
- Growth suppression in children
⛔ Do not use if
- Systemic fungal infections
- Hypersensitivity to any component of the product
❗ Warnings & precautions
- Suppresses the immune system and increases the risk of infection with any pathogen, and may mask signs of infection; risk rises with higher doses.
- Latent tuberculosis may be reactivated; patients need monitoring and may require chemoprophylaxis during prolonged therapy.
- Chickenpox and measles can be serious or fatal in non-immune patients; avoid exposure and tell your doctor immediately if exposed.
- Tell your doctor if your condition worsens or you face unusual stress, as the dose may need to be increased.
- The drug must be withdrawn gradually after long-term therapy and should not be stopped abruptly.
- May raise blood sugar; doses of antidiabetic medicines may need adjustment.
- May affect growth in children; growth, weight, and blood pressure should be monitored regularly.
🔄 Drug interactions
- Aminoglutethimide: may diminish adrenal suppression by corticosteroids.
- Amphotericin B and potassium-depleting agents (e.g., diuretics): risk of hypokalemia.
- Macrolide antibiotics: may significantly decrease corticosteroid clearance.
- Anticholinesterases: may produce severe weakness in patients with myasthenia gravis.
- Oral anticoagulants (warfarin): response may be reduced; coagulation indices should be monitored.
- Antidiabetics: dosage adjustments may be required.
- Antitubercular drugs (isoniazid): serum concentrations may be decreased.
- Cholestyramine: may increase corticosteroid clearance.
- Cyclosporine: increased activity of both drugs; convulsions have been reported.
- Indomethacin: false-negative results in the dexamethasone suppression test have been reported.
- Digitalis glycosides: increased risk of arrhythmias due to hypokalemia.
- Ephedrine: may enhance metabolic clearance of corticosteroids.
🤰 Pregnancy
Corticosteroids have been shown to be teratogenic in animal studies, with increased cleft palate in offspring, and there are no adequate and well-controlled studies in pregnant women. Use during pregnancy only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk to the fetus. Infants born to mothers who received substantial doses during pregnancy should be observed for signs of hypoadrenalism.
🍼 Breastfeeding
Systemically administered corticosteroids appear in human milk and could suppress growth, interfere with endogenous corticosteroid production, or cause other untoward effects in the infant. A decision should be made whether to discontinue nursing or the drug, taking into account the importance of the drug to the mother.
🧒 Children
Corticosteroids may reduce growth velocity in children, even at low doses. Growth, blood pressure, weight, intraocular pressure, and signs of infection should be monitored, and the lowest effective dose used. The dose is determined by the disease being treated under your doctor's supervision.
👴 Older adults
Dose selection should be cautious, usually starting at the low end of the range, because of decreased hepatic, renal, or cardiac function and concomitant disease. The risks of diabetes, fluid retention, and hypertension are increased in elderly patients.
🌡️ Storage
Store at 20° to 25°C (excursions permitted 15° to 30°C) in a tight, light-resistant, child-resistant container, out of reach of children.
⏰ Missed dose
The label gives no specific instructions for a missed dose. Follow your doctor's or pharmacist's advice and do not double the dose on your own.
🆘 Overdose
Treatment is supportive and symptomatic. In acute overdosage, depending on the patient's condition, supportive therapy may include gastric lavage or emesis. Seek emergency medical help immediately.
💰 Price & brands in your area
🏛️ Official price in Palestine — Ministry of Health price list:
| Product | Company | Pack | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| CHLOROSONE EYE / DROPS DEXAMETHASONE & CHLORAMPHENICOL & POLYMIXIN B SULFATE | BPC | EYE DROPS | 14 ₪ |
| Dexa-Alison 4mg/ml 5 AMP Dexamethasone Phosphate | Alison pharmaceutical company | 5 amp/box | 18 ₪ |
| OTODEX EAR DROPS 5 ML DEXAMETHASONE SODIUM PHOSPHATE, NEOMYCIN SULFATE & POLYMYXIN-B SULFATE. | BPC | DROPS | 18 ₪ |
| NEODEX Neomycin Sulphate eq. to 3.5mg Neomycin/ml Dexamethasone Sodium Phosphate eq. to | Beit Jala | 10 ml | 20 ₪ |
| DEXACOL EYE / DROPS 7 ML CHLORAMPHENICOL + DEXAMETHASONE | BPC | EYE / DROPS | 22 ₪ |
| DEXA-ALISON 8 MG/2 ML 5 AMP DEXAMETHASONE PHOSPHATE AS SODIUM | Alison pharmaceutical company | 5 AMP | 22 ₪ |
| DECORT 0.75MG 20 TAB DEXAMETHASONE BASE | BPC | 20 tab | 22 ₪ |
| DECORT 0.5MG 20 TAB DEXAMETHASONE BASE | BPC | 20 tab | 23 ₪ |
| MAXITROL OPHTH. OINT. Dexamethasone & Neomycin & Polymyxin B . | MASROUJI CO. | 3.5 Gm | 24 ₪ |
| DETHAMYCINE DROPS 10ML DEXAMETHASONE SOD. PHOSPHATE 0.1% NEOMYCIN SULPHATE 0.5% | Alwaleed Drug Store | 10 ML | 24 ₪ |
| MEDIHIST CREAM 15 G CLOTRIMAZOL & NEOMYCIN & DEXAMETHASONE | BPC | tube | 25 ₪ |
| NOVODEXON SYRUP Dexamethasone (Sodium Phosphate) 0.5mg/5 ml | Beit Jala | 100 ml | 26 ₪ |
| DEXIPRO EAR DROPS 7.5 ml Ciprofloxacin 0.3%, Dexamethasone 0.1% | Alison pharmaceutical company | 7.5 ml | 32 ₪ |
| dexamethasone kalceks 8mg/2 ml dexamethasone phosphate 8mg/2 ml | Medimarket Drug Store | 10 AMP | 54 ₪ |
| DEXAMETHASONE 2MG 50 TAB DEXAMETHASONE 2MG | Alwaleed Drug Store | 50 TAB | 174 ₪ |
| Dexa-Alison 4mg/ml 100 AMP Dexamethasone Phosphate | Alison pharmaceutical company | 100 amp | 291 ₪ |
| DEXA-ALISON 8 MG/2ML 100 AMP DEXAMETHASONE PHOSPHATE AS SODIUM | Alison pharmaceutical company | 100 AMP | 350 ₪ |
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Mechanism of action
Synthetic adrenocortical steroid (corticosteroid hormone receptor agonist), readily absorbed from the GI tract, that modifies immune responses and is used mainly for its anti-inflammatory effects; at equipotent anti-inflammatory doses it almost completely lacks sodium-retaining activity.
Labeled dosing
Adult oral initial dosage ranges from 0.75 mg to 9 mg daily depending on the disease, individualized to response, then decreased in small decrements to the lowest dose maintaining adequate clinical response; withdraw gradually after long-term therapy. Acute exacerbations of multiple sclerosis: 30 mg daily for a week followed by 4 mg to 12 mg every other day for one month. Pediatric initial range: 0.02 mg to 0.3 mg/kg/day in three or four divided doses. The final dose is determined by the physician.
- Dexamethasone 0.75 mg is equivalent to prednisone 5 mg, hydrocortisone 20 mg, and cortisone 25 mg; these relationships apply only to oral or intravenous administration.
- Cerebral edema: dexamethasone sodium phosphate injection 10 mg IV initially, then 4 mg IM every six hours; reduce after two to four days and discontinue gradually over five to seven days.
- Recurrent or inoperable brain tumors: maintenance with 2 mg two or three times daily may be effective.
- Monitor for infection, latent tuberculosis, blood glucose, blood pressure, fluid and electrolyte status.
🎓 Key points for students
- Class: synthetic adrenocortical steroid (EPC: Corticosteroid; MoA: Corticosteroid Hormone Receptor Agonists).
- Chemical name: 9-fluoro-11β,17,21-trihydroxy-16α-methylpregna-1,4-diene-3,20-dione; formula C22H29FO5; molecular weight 392.47.
- Main indications: allergic, dermatologic, endocrine, hematologic, neoplastic, neurologic, ophthalmic, renal, and respiratory conditions.
- Contraindications: systemic fungal infections and hypersensitivity to components.
- Key interactions: macrolide antibiotics, warfarin, diuretics, digitalis, antidiabetics, cyclosporine.
- Classic adverse effects: cushingoid state, hyperglycemia, osteoporosis, HPA axis suppression, and growth suppression in children.
- Gradual withdrawal is required after long-term therapy.
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What is dexamethasone used for?
It is used mainly for its anti-inflammatory effect in allergic, dermatologic, endocrine, hematologic, neurologic, ophthalmic, renal, and respiratory conditions and some cancers, as prescribed by your doctor.
Can I stop the medicine suddenly?
No. After long-term treatment it is recommended to stop gradually under your doctor's supervision.
Does dexamethasone increase the risk of infection?
Yes. It suppresses the immune system, increases infection risk, and may mask signs of infection. Tell your doctor right away if you develop fever or infection symptoms or are exposed to chickenpox or measles.
Does it affect blood sugar?
Yes, it may raise blood sugar, and people with diabetes may need their medicine doses adjusted by their doctor.
Is it safe during pregnancy and breastfeeding?
It should be used in pregnancy only if the benefit justifies the risk, and it passes into breast milk; consult your doctor before use.
Does it affect children's growth?
It may reduce growth velocity even at low doses, so a child's growth is monitored and the lowest effective dose is used.
⚕️ For education only — not a substitute for advice from your doctor or pharmacist. Do not start or stop any medicine without advice. Source: official FDA drug label via openFDA (2024-03), simplified. Updated: 2026-11-10.