Dexona Tablet

Dexona Tablet – Dexamethasone 0.5 mg by Zydus

Dexona from Zydus is Dexamethasone Tablets IP 0.5 mg, a potent corticosteroid, supplied in a pack of 30. The small number on the label is misleading and worth understanding properly: dexamethasone is roughly 25 to 30 times more potent than hydrocortisone and about 6 to 7 times more potent than prednisolone, so a 0.5 mg tablet is not a small dose in the way 0.5 mg of most drugs would be – it is roughly equivalent to 3.5 mg of prednisolone. It also has a much longer duration of action, which makes it excellent for the conditions it is prescribed for and poor for the alternate-day regimens used to spare the adrenal glands. It is a genuinely valuable drug in severe allergy, autoimmune flares, certain cancers, cerebral oedema and croup. It is also one of the most widely misused medicines in India, taken unprescribed for weight gain or added to skin creams, and that misuse causes real and sometimes irreversible harm.

Key Features

• Dexamethasone Tablets IP 0.5 mg
• A potent, long-acting corticosteroid – about 6 to 7 times the strength of prednisolone
• Used in severe allergy, autoimmune flares, and as prescribed in oncology and neurology
• Pack of 30 tablets from Zydus Healthcare Limited
• Prescription-only – dose and duration set by a doctor

Composition

• Dexamethasone IP – 0.5 mg
• Excipients q.s. As printed on the pack

Uses & Benefits

• Controls severe allergic reactions and inflammatory flares
• Used in autoimmune and rheumatological conditions as prescribed
• Prescribed in certain cancers, cerebral oedema and croup under specialist direction
• Suppresses inflammation more potently and for longer than prednisolone
• Also used in adrenal insufficiency and for some diagnostic tests
• Convenient 30-tablet pack for a defined prescribed course

Directions for Use

• Take it exactly as your doctor prescribes. Dose and duration vary enormously by condition – there is no standard dose
• Swallow with or straight after food, usually in the morning, to reduce stomach irritation and match the body’s own cortisol rhythm
• Never stop it suddenly after more than a couple of weeks. The adrenal glands stop making cortisol while you take it and need a tapered withdrawal to recover
• Do not double a missed dose. Ask your doctor what to do if you miss one
• Carry a steroid card or note if you are on it long term, and tell any doctor or dentist treating you

Precautions

• Do not take this for weight gain, appetite or body building. It is widely misused for that in India and the consequences – Cushing’s syndrome, diabetes, osteoporosis, cataracts, adrenal failure – are serious and partly irreversible
• Never stop long-term steroid treatment abruptly. Sudden withdrawal can cause an adrenal crisis, which is life-threatening
• Steroids mask infection. Tell your doctor about any fever, cough or wound that is not healing, and avoid contact with chickenpox or measles if you have not had them
• Tell your doctor about diabetes, high blood pressure, glaucoma, peptic ulcer, osteoporosis, tuberculosis, epilepsy, mental illness or pregnancy
• Long-term use causes weight gain and moon face, thinning skin, easy bruising, muscle weakness, raised blood sugar, mood change and bone loss
• Avoid live vaccines. Report black stools, severe stomach pain, visual disturbance, unusual mood change or severe swelling

Storage

• Store below 30°C in a dry place, protected from light
• Keep the tablets in the pack until use
• Keep out of reach of children

Disclaimer

Schedule H prescription drug – to be sold by retail on the prescription of a Registered Medical Practitioner only. Corticosteroids must be started, dosed and stopped under medical supervision. This information is for general awareness and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.