Methylprednisolone shock therapy

Methylprednisolone is a very important hormone and plays an important role in the treatment of many diseases. However, if hormones are taken orally, there will be the problem of poor absorption. In this case, methylprednisolone shock therapy comes into being, which can better act on the site of disease and exert the greatest effect. However, methylprednisolone shock therapy is not perfect and may cause adverse reactions.

Methylprednisolone is a synthetic hormone with strong anti-inflammatory, immunosuppressive and anti-allergic functions. In the case of acute spinal cord injury, early use of large doses of methylprednisolone can reduce the release of harmful substances in tissues and post-traumatic spinal cord ischemia, thereby minimizing the progression of spinal cord tissue damage. However, the use of methylprednisolone to treat spinal cord injury must adhere to the characteristics of "early and large amounts", that is, it must be used within 8 hours after the injury, and an extremely large dose - shock therapy - must be used. Otherwise, it can basically be considered invalid.

Adverse Reactions

Systemic adverse reactions may be observed. Although rare during short-term treatment, careful follow-up is warranted. This is part of the follow-up of steroid treatment and is not specific to any particular drug. Possible adverse reactions of glucocorticoids (such as methylprednisolone) are:

Infections and Infestations: Infections, opportunistic infections.

Immune system disorders: drug hypersensitivity, (including anaphylactic-like or anaphylactic reactions with or without circulatory collapse, cardiac arrest, bronchospasm).

Endocrine abnormalities: Cushing's syndrome, hypopituitarism, steroid withdrawal syndrome.

Metabolic and nutritional disorders: impaired glucose tolerance, hypokalemic alkali poisoning, dyslipidemia, increased need for insulin or oral hypoglycemic agents in diabetic patients. Sodium retention, fluid retention, negative nitrogen balance (due to protein breakdown), increased blood urea nitrogen, increased appetite (may lead to weight gain), lipomatosis.

Psychiatric Disorders: Affective disorders (including mood lability, depression, euphoria, psychological dependence, suicidal ideation), psychotic disorders (including mania, delusions, hallucinations, schizophrenia [exacerbation]), confusional state, mental disorder, anxiety, personality changes, mood swings, unusual behavior, insomnia, irritability.

Nervous System Disorders: Increased intracranial pressure (may develop papilledema [benign intracranial hypertension]), seizures, amnesia, cognitive impairment, dizziness, headache.

Eye abnormalities: eye abnormalities, glaucoma, cataracts.

Ear and labyrinth disorders: vertigo.

Cardiac Abnormalities: Congestive heart failure (in susceptible patients), arrhythmias.

Vascular abnormalities: hypertension, hypotension.

Respiratory, thoracic and mediastinal disorders: hiccups.

Gastrointestinal Disorders: Gastric bleeding, intestinal perforation, peptic ulcer (peptic ulcer perforation and peptic ulcer bleeding may occur), pancreatitis, peritonitis, ulcerative esophagitis, esophagitis, abdominal pain, abdominal distension, diarrhea, indigestion, nausea.

Skin and subcutaneous tissue disorders: angioedema, peripheral edema, ecchymoses, petechiae, skin atrophy, skin striate, skin hypopigmentation, hirsutism, rash, erythema, pruritus, urticaria, acne, hyperhidrosis.

Musculoskeletal and Connective Tissue Disorders: osteonecrosis, pathological fractures, developmental delay (children), muscular dystrophy, myopathy, osteoporosis, neuropathic arthropathy, arthralgia, myalgia, myasthenia.

Reproductive system and breast disorders: Menstrual disorders.

General and administration site conditions: poor healing, injection site reactions, fatigue, malaise.

Examination: increased alanine aminotransferase, increased aspartate aminotransferase, increased alkaline phosphatase, increased intraocular pressure, decreased glucose tolerance, decreased blood potassium, increased urine calcium, and inhibited skin test reaction.

Injury, poisoning and procedural complications: tendon rupture (especially Achilles tendon), vertebral compression fractures.