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Therapeutic action
- Corticosteroid
Indications
- Inflammatory syndrome in severe infections: severe typhoid fever, acute subglottic laryngitis, etc.
- Foetal lung maturation, in the event of threatened premature delivery before 34 weeks of gestation
Forms and strengths, route of administration
- 4 mg dexamethasone phosphate in 1 ml ampoule (4 mg/ml) for IM or IV injection or infusion
Dosage and duration
Inflammatory syndrome in severe infections
Dosage and duration vary according to severity and clinical response:
- Child: 0.2 to 0.4 mg/kg daily
- Adult: initial dose of 0.5 to 24 mg daily
Foetal lung maturation
- Administer to the mother: 6 mg by IM injection every 12 hours for 2 days (total dose: 24 mg)
Contra-indications, adverse effects, precautions
- For systemic infections, only administer if patient is under antibiotic treatment.
- In the event of treatment longer than 10 days, decrease doses gradually to avoid adrenal gland failure.
- Pregnancy: no contra-indication
- Breast-feeding: no contra-indication
Remarks
- Foetal lung maturation:
- after 34 weeks of gestation, corticosteroid treatment is not indicated;
- dexamethasone may be replaced by betamethasone: 2 doses of 12 mg by IM injection at 24-hour interval (total dose: 24 mg).
- For allergic reactions (Quinke’s oedema, anaphylactic shock) and status asthmaticus, use hydrocortisone.
- Dexamethasone acetate, insoluble in water, is a suspension used only for local treatment: intra-articular or peri-articular injection, epidural injection (sciatica).
Storage
- Below 25 °C
The solution precipitates at 0 °C, it must not be exposed to cold temperatures.
The solution precipitates at 0 °C, it must not be exposed to cold temperatures.