Side Effects Of Long-term High Doses Of Corticosteroids

Corticosteroid medications, such as prednisone and cortisone, are used to treat a variety of diseases that affect all areas of the body. Corticosteroids can be used for short-term treatment but also can be used for long-term therapy--in low and high doses--as well. Although corticosteroids are very important medications and are commonly used by doctors, there are significant side effects associated with long-term use.

Eye Problems

Long-term use of corticosteroids can affect the eye in several ways. Cataracts can develop after steroid use--after short-term and long-term courses. There is no medical cure for a cataract once it develops; the only treatment is surgical removal. The cataract doesn't go away if the steroid treatment is discontinued. Glaucoma can also be caused by long-term steroid treatment.

High Blood Sugar

Corticosteroid therapy causes elevated blood glucose. With long-term corticosteroid therapy, you may have to begin therapy for diabetes to manage the blood sugar levels. If you have diabetes before starting the high-dose steroids, blood sugar levels will probably become unstable and additional medications will need to be added to the diabetes regimen. For most people, once the steroid medication is discontinued, blood sugar levels normalize.

Bone Problems

With long-term, high-dose corticosteroid therapy, you can develop osteoporosis or bone loss. The absorption of calcium in the intestine is altered by steroid use. leading to osteoporosis. Another bone issue is the development of avascular necrosis. This condition typically occurs in the hip; it's the death of bone cells because of a loss of blood supply. Discontinuing the corticosteroid therapy doesn't reverse this condition. It requires an orthopedic surgeon for treatment.

Risk of Infection

One of the reasons corticosteroids are prescribed is because of the impact on the body's immune system. Corticosteroids are used to treat autoimmune disorders where the body's cells attacks itself. These cells that are kept from attacking the body in autoimmune diseases are also not managing infections in the body. This can make patients on high-dose corticosteroids susceptible to infection for the long term. This condition tends to improve once the steroid medications are stopped.

Decreased Steroid Production

When you're prescribed high doses of corticosteroids for a long period, the body drastically decreases production of its own steroids naturally. This makes it difficult to discontinue the steroids quickly; the body needs a certain level of steroids to function normally. The adrenal gland, the organ that produces the body's steroids, slowly starts producing steroids again if the corticosteroids are slowly discontinued.