Entocort EC is a registered trademark of the AstraZeneca group of companies. It's a prescription medicine that's used in the treatment of mild to moderate cases of Crohn's disease, which is a chronic inflammatory disease of the intestines. This disease causes breaks in the lining of the large and small intestines primarily, although it can affect the entire digestive tract. Entocort EC has been associated with common side effects and also allergic side effects that require contacting a physician. Other side effects require avoiding particular situations.
Common Side Effects
The side effects that are most common when taking Entocort EC are nausea, headaches, infections in the air passages (also called respiratory infections) and hypercorticism symptoms.
Hypercorticism Symptoms
Hypercorticism is a condition of having too many steroids in the body. Patients taking Entocort EC might be required to take steroids if they are undergoing surgery or are exposed to other stress conditions. The symptoms of hypercorticism include enlargement of the neck and face, acne and bruising. Most of the hypercorticism symptoms occur less often in Entocort EC patients than in patients taking other treatments with corticosteroids.
Avoidance
Entocort EC suppresses the immune system. This requires patients to be aware of whom they come in contact with, because the suppression of the immune system can increase the risk of infection. Patients taking Entocort EC should avoid contact with people who have infections, including measles and chicken pox.
Juice
Patients taking Entocort EC should avoid the regular drinking of grapefruit juice. The grapefruit juice can increase the amount of Entocort EC in the bloodstream. Increased amounts of Entocort EC in the bloodstream can cause side effects. Other juices such as apple juice and orange juice do not have the same effect and are OK to drink regularly.
Allergic Reaction
Patients taking Entocort EC should contact their physicians if certain side effects occur: fever, swelling of the neck and face, skin rash or having trouble breathing. These symptoms can indicate an allergic reaction to Entocort EC.
Comparative Side Effects
Entocort EC is a corticosteroid that's released in the intestine. Because of this, Entocort EC can control the symptoms of Crohn's disease even though 90 percent of the drug doesn't enter the bloodstream. This helps Entocort EC to cause fewer side effects than other corticosteroid medications.
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