What is the difference between cortisone and hydrocortisone

The type of hydrocortisone you use will depend on your health problem. As long as you have no symptoms of coronavirus infection, carry on taking your prescribed steroid medicine as usual. If you develop any coronavirus symptoms, do not stop taking your steroid medicine suddenly.

Ask your doctor about whether you need to stop taking it or not. If you're treating a skin problem with hydrocortisone, it will usually be with a cream, ointment or lotion. These can be used for skin problems like:. Hydrocortisone comes as cream, ointment or suppositories specially for inside and around the anus bottom.

Cortisone is classified as a glucocorticosteroid. For more detail, see "How Cortisone Works" section below. If a drug has been approved for one use, physicians sometimes elect to use this same drug for other problems if they believe it might be helpful. This list includes common and less common side effects for individuals taking hydrocortisone. However, you should always inform your health care provider if you experience any unusual symptoms.

Contact your health care provider immediately, day or night, if you should experience any of the following symptoms:. The following symptoms require medical attention, but are not emergency situations. Contact your health care provider within 24 hours of noticing any of the following:. The use of corticosteroids can also lead to sodium and fluid retention, which can manifest as weight gain.

Serious side effects of corticosteroids include allergic reactions or anaphylaxis. The risk of side effects is associated with the dose and duration of treatment. For this reason, hydrocortisone and cortisone are not recommended for long-term use. When used for longer periods of time, corticosteroids can lead to an increased risk of osteoporosis , or bone loss, and irregularities in the adrenal gland. This may not be a complete list of adverse effects that can occur.

Please refer to your doctor or healthcare provider to learn more. Hydrocortisone and cortisone are processed in the liver by the CYP3A4 enzyme. Drugs that block, or inhibit, this enzyme can increase hydrocortisone or cortisone levels and increase the risk of side effects. By the same token, drugs that stimulate, or induce, this enzyme can decrease hydrocortisone or cortisone levels and lower their overall effectiveness. Hydrocortisone and cortisone can interact with CYP3A4 inhibitors such as erythromycin, clarithromycin, isoniazid, and ketoconazole.

Hydrocortisone and cortisone can also interact with CYP3A4 inducers such as rifampin, carbamazepine, and phenobarbital. Since corticosteroids can increase blood sugar levels, dosing may need to be adjusted while taking antidiabetic drugs. Corticosteroids can also affect the blood levels of aspirin and anticoagulants like warfarin.

Corticosteroids can suppress the immune system. Therefore, live vaccines should be avoided while taking corticosteroids because of an increased risk of infection.

Consult a healthcare professional for other possible drug interactions. Staying on corticosteroids for long periods of time can affect how well the adrenal gland is able to produce steroid hormones on its own. This can lead to secondary adrenal insufficiency, which is common after abrupt discontinuation of therapy.

Therefore, treatment with corticosteroids should be tapered slowly to avoid possible withdrawal. Corticosteroids should be used with caution if you have liver damage cirrhosis or an underactive thyroid hypothyroidism. Corticosteroids can suppress growth and development in children. In most cases, hydrocortisone and cortisone should be avoided in children. In some cases, children may be put on corticosteroids in controlled doses. Using corticosteroids can increase the risk of infections.

Bacterial meningitis is a serious disease that may result in death or permanent neurologic complications such as seizures, paralysis or sensorineural hearing loss. These produce inflammatory components such as cytokines, which lead to meningeal inflammation and increased intracranial pressure. Studies show that potent corticosteroids, such as dexamethasone, combined with appropriate antibiotics reduce the risk of acquired sensorineural deafness and the incidence of other neurologic sequelae in meningitis caused by Haemophilus influenzae.

The drug was administered in a dosage of 0. Corticosteroids may also be used in the treatment of tuberculous meningitis.

In one randomized, controlled study 55 involving 47 patients in India, dexamethasone was found to be useful as an adjunct treatment in cases of tuberculous meningitis, especially in patients with severe disease. A more recent randomized trial 56 using prednisone in children with tuberculous meningitis showed that prednisone in a dosage of 2 to 4 mg per kg per day for one month improved survival rate and intellectual outcome.

Table 4 57 lists other unlabeled uses of corticosteroids. Dexamethasone, 0. Methylprednisolone, given intravenously within 8 hours of injury, to improve neurologic function. Prednisolone, 0. Adapted with permission from Drug facts and comparisons. Louis: Facts and Comparisons, b. Already a member or subscriber? Log in. Interested in AAFP membership? Learn more. Zoorob is a graduate of the American University of Beirut and completed residency training in family practice at Anderson S.

Memorial Hospital. Chandler Medical Center, Lexington. Address correspondence to Roger J. Zoorob, M. Reprints are not available from the authors. Drug facts and comparisons.

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