| Corticosteroids: use in rheumatology |
In rheumatology, corticosteroids are important drugs for both their anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressant actions. The main drugs in use are oral prednisone or prednisolone, intravenous methylprednisolone, and intra-articular betamethasone, triamcinolone, and methylprednisolone. They have a rapid onset of action and are useful for controlling severe joint inflammation in early disease, or during flares.
Strategies for minimising the adverse effects of corticosteroids are discussed in Adverse effects of corticosteroids. These strategies are particularly relevant to rheumatology where in many conditions, such as connective tissue diseases, inflammatory arthritis and myopathies, long-term corticosteroid use, often in higher doses than in other chronic disease states, may be necessary.
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