Watch out for corticosteroids

Dr. Le Bach Lan, Dean of Trung Vuong Hospital (BV), Ho Chi Minh City, warned that the abuse of corticosteroids in treatment is alarming.

Doctor Le Bach Lan is examining Tran Thi Turn's patient (Photo: L.TH.H) Using prolonged corticosteroids will cause adrenal insufficiency - the body secretes the body's natural corticosteroids - irreversible and many other dangerous effects.

Dr. Le Bach Lan said on June 8, at the department of patients (BN) Tran Thi Turn (76 years old, Cu Chi, Ho Chi Minh City), there was a clear manifestation of side effects caused by corticoid: face ' Full moon ' because the body is holding salt and water, but the limbs are tight and shrunk.

Dr. Bach Lan said that corticosteroids are necessary in medicine, but the use of strict indications, close monitoring and gradual dose reduction, should not be used for long. Corticosteroids have very good anti-inflammatory effects, used in the treatment of arthritis that do not respond to other drugs, ENT; Bronchial asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. In addition, corticosteroids are also used to treat immunosuppressants, red lupus, hematological diseases .

Dr. Le Bach Lan advised when getting the best disease, please go to the hospital for medical examination.Do not go to the pharmacy, the grocery store buys medicine for treatment, when the doctor prescribes it, it is necessary to return to follow-up appointment, do not take the old prescription to buy and use it again.

Dr. Bach Lan warned that abuse of corticosteroids in treatment was alarming. The reason is that some patients - especially in the suburbs - suffer from chronic pain, arthritis, asthma . going to the pharmacy, even a grocery store to buy medicine. Sellers have no expertise but still sell corticosteroids. Buyers find corticosteroids like 'medicinal herbs', drinking on 'oolong' immediately should buy again.

In addition, many patients have the wrong habit of not going for re-examination by appointment but taking the old prescription of the doctor who appointed to buy and drink the last time. Some patients often come to 'healers' to buy Chinese medicine, herbal medicines of unknown origin and drink all the time, because it is obvious that taking the medicine is less painful, eating, sleeping, gaining weight, but completely not knowing those drugs have mixed corticosteroids.

Dr. Bach Lan said every month at the internal medicine department, there were 5-6 patients with symptoms of abuse of corticosteroids, can recognize through some external manifestations such as a round, red face, very fat but limbs Atrophy, skin cracks and bleeding under the skin.

In addition, there are some other dangerous side effects such as hypertension, diabetes, pathological osteoporosis (just a slight collision can fracture), reduce the body's resistance, BN may have very severe infections that antibiotics cannot help treat.

BV is also common with patients with ' caffeine deficiency' syndrome , with manifestations of severe vomiting, diarrhea, and inedibility. It usually takes only three weeks or more to take this medication and is likely to be dependent on the drug. In some cases, patients cannot be cured of corticosteroids but must spend a lifetime.

LE THANH HA recorded