Melpred 4 mg (Tablet)

Indications

• Endocrine Disorders
• Rheumatic Disorders
• Collagen Diseases
• Dermatologic Diseases
• Allergy
• Ophthalmic Diseases
• Respiratory Diseases
• Hematological Disorders
• Neoplastic Diseases
• Edematous States
• Gastrointestinal Disease
• CNS Disease

Description

Melpred is a potent anti-inflammatory steroid with greater potency than Prednisolone and less tendency to induce sodium and water retention.

Pharmacology

• Pharmacodynamic properties: Methylprednisolone is a potent anti-inflammatory agent with the capacity to profoundly inhibit the immune system. It influences various bodily systems including kidney, fluid & electrolyte balance, lipid, protein, and carbohydrate metabolism, skeletal muscle, cardiovascular system, immune system, nervous system, and endocrine system.
• Pharmacokinetic properties: Methylprednisolone is rapidly absorbed with high bioavailability, widely distributed into tissues, crosses the blood-brain and placental barriers, and is secreted in breast milk. It is metabolized in the liver to inactive metabolites and is haemodializable.

Dosage & Administration

• Usual range: 2-48 mg daily in divided doses depending on the specific disease being treated.
• Anti-inflammatory or immunosuppressive initial dosage: Varies from 4-48 mg per day depending on the specific disease entity being treated, with lower doses for less severe situations and higher doses for selected patients.
• Anti-inflammatory or immunosuppressive maintenance dosage: Requires determining the proper maintenance dosage by decreasing the initial drug dosage in small decrements at appropriate time intervals until the lowest dosage which will maintain an adequate clinical response is reached.
• Multiple Sclerosis treatment: Daily doses of 160 mg for a week followed by 64 mg every other day for 1 month have been shown to be effective.
• Severe allergy end dermatitis treatment: Detailed guideline for minimizing the steroid withdrawal syndromes.

Interaction

Various drugs inhibit or reduce the metabolism of Melpred, affecting its efficacy and necessitating dose adjustments.

Contraindications

Systemic fungal infections and known hypersensitivity to components.

Side Effects

Short courses are usually well-tolerated, but long term, high doses may produce serious side effects ranging from mild annoyances to serious irreversible bodily damage.

Pregnancy & Lactation

Pregnancy category C. Use only if potential benefit justifies the potential risk to the fetus. Not adequately evaluated in nursing mothers.

Precautions & Warnings

Cautions for specific conditions and patient groups including adrenocortical insufficiency, hypothyroidism, cirrhosis, ocular herpes simplex, and growth and development observations for infants and children on prolonged corticosteroid therapy.

Overdose Effects

Rare reports of acute toxicity and/or death following an overdose of glucocorticoid. Supportive and symptomatic treatment with monitoring of serum electrolytes.

Therapeutic Class

Glucocorticoids

Storage Conditions

Store in a cool and dry place, away from light. Keep out of reach of children.