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Therapeutic action
- Steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (corticosteroid)
Indications
- Symptomatic treatment of severe allergic and inflammatory reactions, e.g.: severe acute asthma (in addition to inhaled salbutamol), allergic angioedema, anaphylactic shock (as an adjunct to epinephrine)
Forms and strengths, route of administration
- Powder for injection, 100 mg hydrocortisone (hemisuccinate, succinate or phosphate) in vial, to be dissolved in 2 ml water for injection, for IM or slow IV injection or infusion
Dosage and duration
- Child under 1 year: 25 mg/injection
- Child from 1 to 5 years: 50 mg/injection
- Child from 6 to 12 years: 100 mg/injection
- Adult: 100 to 500 mg/injection
Doses may be repeated 3 or 4 times daily according to the severity of the symptoms and the patient’s response.
Contra-indications, adverse effects, precautions
- Avoid prolonged administration in patients with peptic ulcer, diabetes mellitus or cirrhosis.
- Administer with caution to patients receiving digitalis glycosides: increases digitalis toxicity associated with hypokalaemia.
- Pregnancy: use only if clearly needed, for a short period.
- Breast-feeding: no contra-indication
Remarks
- Hydrocortisone acetate is a suspension insoluble in water, used as a local treatment only: intra- or periarticular injection, epidural (sciatic neuralgia).
Storage
– Below 25 °C