Uses of Betamethasone 0.5mg topical

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Betamethasone 0.5mg topical is a drug known for its ability to treat many different diseases. The following article will introduce you to some information about this drug as well as some things to note when using.

1. What are the uses of Betamethasone 0.5mg?

The drug will be prescribed by doctors in joint diseases such as rheumatism, endocrine diseases, collagen, dermatological diseases, allergies, respiratory diseases, cancer and diseases that respond well to corticosteroid therapy:
Endocrine pathology: Primary or secondary adrenocortical insufficiency and in some cases may be indicated in combination with mineralo-corticosteroids, non-fusping thyroiditis, congenital adrenal hyperplasia and hyperplasia blood calcium caused by cancer. Arthritis: Psoriatic arthritis, epicondylitis, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, acute and subacute bursitis, tendinitis, nonspecific acute tenosynovitis, myositis,. Collagen-related diseases: Dermatitis, systemic lupus erythematosus, scleroderma. Dermatological diseases: Lichen planus, keloids, psoriasis, discoid lupus erythematosus, contact dermatitis, exfoliative dermatitis, erythema multiforme (Stevens-Johnson syndrome). Allergic conditions: Allergic rhinitis, bronchial asthma, severe allergic bronchitis, atopic dermatitis, hypersensitivity reactions to insects. Eye disease: Diseases related to eye allergy or inflammation of eye appendages such as keratitis, allergic conjunctivitis, optic neuritis, diffuse choroidal choroiditis. Respiratory disease: Symptomatic sarcoidosis, pulmonary fibrosis, pneumothorax. Hematologic diseases: Hemolytic anemia, primary or secondary thrombocytopenia in adults, transfusion reaction. Digestive diseases: Hemorrhagic ulcerative colitis, chronic autoimmune hepatitis, colon pathology. Cancer: Treated in leukemia and lymphoma in the elderly and acute leukemia in children as a temporary treatment. Patients with nephrotic syndrome aim to lower proteinuria and relieve symptoms of edema in primary non-uremic nephrotic syndrome or lupus erythematosus.

2. Pharmacodynamics Betamethasone

This is a synthetic corticosteroid with very strong glucocorticoid-like action and combined with negligible mineralocorticoid effects. It is estimated that 0.75 mg of betamethasone will have an anti-inflammatory effect equivalent to about 5 mg of prednisolone. The main effects of Betamethasone are anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic and anti-rheumatic.
The drug is used with many different routes of administration such as oral, injection, local injection, inhalation or topical application in the treatment of diseases requiring the use of corticosteroids, except when the patient has adrenal insufficiency, it is usually preferred. hydrocortisone plus fludrocortisone. Due to its low mineralocorticoid effect, betamethasone is often indicated in diseases of water retention. Betamethasone has immunosuppressive effects when used in high doses.

3. Betamethasone pharmacokinetics

Betamethasone is readily absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract and is rapidly distributed throughout the body tissues. The drug can cross the blood-placenta barrier and may appear in small amounts into breast milk.
Like other corticosteroids, betamethasone is metabolised primarily in the liver but also in the kidneys and excreted in the urine. They are more potent than other natural corticosteroids because they are slower acting and have lower protein binding affinity.

4. How to use Betamethasone topical?

When using Betamethasone ointment for topical use, it is important to note the following:
Wash and dry hands before use and then take an appropriate amount Apply a thin amount of the drug to the area to be treated. and spread evenly in the direction of the hair growth on the skin Do not apply the cream on open wounds After applying the medicine, wash your hands unless the applied skin is on your hands If using other creams, apply after applying the medicine 30 minutes and consult your doctor to avoid drug interactions. If a dressing is required, wait at least 10 minutes after applying betamethasone. Drugs belonging to the steroid group in general and betamethasone for topical use in particular should be used strictly according to the doctor's prescription to avoid experiencing side effects of the drug.

5. Contraindications of Betamethasone 0.5mg

The drug is contraindicated in people with diabetes, peptic ulcer, mental illness, peptic ulcer disease, bacterial and viral infections, patients with a history of hypersensitivity to betamethasone or corticosteroids with or with any of the ingredients of the drug.
In addition, it is necessary to pay attention to some of the following things when using Betamethasone in particular and corticosteroids in general:
It is necessary to start with the lowest dose with the goal of controlling the disease being treated and reduce the dose gradually step by step. , avoid stopping the drug suddenly. Some cases need to be very careful when using systemic route such as: Patients with congestive heart failure, hypertension, epilepsy, diabetes, recent myocardial infarction, hypothyroidism, glaucoma, peptic ulcer , osteoporosis, kidney failure. For children, when used improperly, it can cause some unwanted effects such as growth retardation. Corticosteroids have an immunosuppressive effect, so users are more susceptible to infections, so they are often contraindicated in cases of acute infections not controlled by appropriate antibacterial chemotherapy. In addition, when using this drug can mask the symptoms of the disease until it is detected late. Patients with active or suspected active TB are rarely prescribed corticosteroids unless adjunctive to anti-TB drugs. When using systemic corticosteroids, the patient does not have an immune response, so there is a risk of developing chickenpox, severe herpes zoster, and even measles. Persons taking systemic corticosteroids should not receive live vaccines for at least the following 3 months. In case of necessity, lethal or toxoid vaccines can be used, but the immune response may be lower than normal. When patients have to use corticosteroids for a long time, it is necessary to monitor their health regularly. Pay attention to adding calcium and potassium, and reduce the amount of sodium consumed in the daily diet. Using Betamethasone for children for too long can cause eye problems such as cataracts, damage to the optic nerve or glaucoma. For pregnant women, it is important to carefully weigh the benefits and risks for both mother and fetus. There have been some cases of mothers using corticosteroids for a long time leading to low birth weight babies due to the ability of this drug to inhibit the adrenal cortex.

6. Possible drug interactions when using Betamethasone

Paracetamol: Patients are at risk of hepatotoxicity if used with high doses of paracetamol for a long time due to the mechanism of induction of hepatic enzymes by corticosteroids to form a metabolite of paracetamol which is toxic to the liver. Insulin or antidiabetic drugs: When used together with glucocorticoids can increase the patient's blood glucose level. Therefore, it is necessary to adjust the dose of either drug or both simultaneously. Glycoside digitalis: There is a risk of cardiac arrhythmias or increased digitalis toxicity when these drugs are taken together. Estrogen: Patients should be closely monitored to avoid undesirable effects of corticosteroids due to estrogen's ability to alter the metabolism and protein binding of this drug. Thereby reducing the ability to eliminate and increase the toxicity of glucocorticoids. The above information is for reference only. Its use in treatment should be under the direction of a specialist.
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