Betamethasone

Included as part of the PRECAUTIONS section.

Synthetic glucocorticoid; minimal mineralocorticoid activity.a b

Treatment of a wide variety of diseases and conditions principally for glucocorticoid effects as an anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressant agent and for its effects on blood and lymphatic systems in the palliative treatment of various diseases.a

Usually, inadequate alone for adrenocortical insufficiency because of minimal mineralocorticoid activity.b

Adrenocortical Insufficiency

Corticosteroids are administered in physiologic dosages to replace deficient endogenous hormones in patients with adrenocortical insufficiency.a

Because production of both mineralocorticoids and glucocorticoids is deficient in adrenocortical insufficiency, hydrocortisone or cortisone (in conjunction with liberal salt intake) usually is the corticosteroid of choice for replacement therapy.

If betamethasone is used, must also administer a mineralocorticoid (fludrocortisone), particularly in infants.a

In suspected or known adrenal insufficiency, parenteral therapy may be used preoperatively or during serious trauma, illness, or shock unresponsive to conventional therapy.a

In shock unresponsive to conventional therapy, IV therapy in conjunction with other therapy for shock is essential; hydrocortisone is preferred, but a synthetic glucocorticoid like betamethasone can be substituted.a

Adrenogenital Syndrome

Lifelong glucocorticoid treatment of congenital adrenogenital syndrome.a

In salt-losing forms, cortisone or hydrocortisone is preferred in conjunction with liberal salt intake; addition of a mineralocorticoid may be necessary through at least 5–7 years of age.a

A glucocorticoid, usually alone, for long-term therapy after early childhood.a

In hypertensive forms, a short-acting glucocorticoid with minimal mineralocorticoid activity (e.g., methylprednisolone, prednisone) is preferred;a avoid long-acting glucocorticoids (e.g., dexamethasone, betamethasone) because of tendency toward overdosage and growth retardation.a

Hypercalcemia

Treatment of hypercalcemia associated with malignancy.a

Usually ameliorates hypercalcemia associated with bone involvement in multiple myeloma.a

Treatment of hypercalcemia associated with sarcoidosis†.a

Treatment of hypercalcemia associated with vitamin D intoxication†.a

Not effective for hypercalcemia caused by hyperparathyroidism†.a

Thyroiditis

Treatment of granulomatous (subacute, nonsuppurative) thyroiditis.a

Anti-inflammatory action relieves fever, acute thyroid pain, and swelling.a

May reduce orbital edema in endocrine exophthalmos (thyroid ophthalmopathy).a

Usually reserved for palliative therapy in severely ill patients unresponsive to salicylates and thyroid hormones.a

Rheumatic Disorders and Collagen Diseases

Short-term palliative treatment of acute episodes or exacerbations and systemic complications of rheumatic disorders (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, acute gouty arthritis, posttraumatic osteoarthritis, synovitis of osteoarthritis, acute and subacute bursitis, epicondylitis, acute nonspecific tenosynovitis, peritendinitis, ankylosing spondylitis, Reiter syndrome†, rheumatic fever† [especially with carditis]) and collagen diseases (e.g., acute rheumatic carditis, systemic lupus erythematosus, polyarteritis nodosa†, vasculitis†) refractory to more conservative measures.a c

Reduces the size of cystic tumors of an aponeurosis, tendon, or ganglia.

Relieves inflammation and suppresses symptoms but not disease progression.a

Rarely indicated as maintenance therapy.a

May be used as maintenance therapy (e.g., in rheumatoid arthritis, acute gouty arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, acute rheumatic carditis) as part of a total treatment program in selected patients when more conservative therapies have proven ineffective.a

Glucocorticoid withdrawal is extremely difficult if used for maintenance; relapse and recurrence usually occur with drug discontinuance.a

Local injection can provide dramatic relief initially for articular manifestations of rheumatic disorders (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis) that involve only a few persistently inflamed joints or for inflammation of tendons or bursae;a inflammation tends to recur and sometimes is more intense after drug cessation.c

Local injection can prevent invalidism by facilitating movement of joints that might otherwise become immobile.a

Controls acute manifestations of rheumatic carditis more rapidly than salicylates and may be life-saving; cannot prevent valvular damage and no better than salicylates for long-term treatment.a

Adjunctively for severe systemic complications of Wegener’s granulomatosis†, but cytotoxic therapy is the treatment of choice.a

Primary treatment to control symptoms and prevent severe, often life-threatening complications in patients with dermatomyositis† and polymyositis†, polyarteritis nodosa†, relapsing polychondritis†, polymyalgia rheumatica† and giant-cell (temporal) arteritis†, or mixed connective tissue disease syndrome†.a High dosage may be required for acute situations; after a response has been obtained, drug must often be continued for long periods at low dosage.a

Polymyositis† associated with malignancy and childhood dermatomyositis may not respond well.a

Rarely indicated in psoriatic arthritis, diffuse scleroderma† (progressive systemic sclerosis), acute and subacute bursitis, or osteoarthritis; risks outweigh benefits.a

In osteoarthritis, intra-articular injections may be beneficial but should be limited in number as joint damage may occur.a

Dermatologic Diseases

Treatment of pemphigus and pemphigoid†, bullous dermatitis herpetiformis, severe erythema multiforme (Stevens-Johnson syndrome), exfoliative dermatitis, lichen planus, uncontrollable eczema†, cutaneous sarcoidosis†, mycosis fungoides, severe psoriasis, and severe seborrheic dermatitis.a c

Usually reserved for acute exacerbations unresponsive to conservative therapy.a

Early initiation of systemic glucocorticoid therapy may be life-saving in pemphigus vulgaris and pemphigoid†, and high or massive doses may be required.a

For control of severe or incapacitating allergic conditions (e.g., contact dermatitis, atopic dermatitis) intractable to adequate trials of conventional treatment.a c

Chronic skin disorders seldom an indication for systemic glucocorticoids.a

Intralesional or sublesional injections occasionally indicated for localized chronic skin disorders (e.g., keloids, psoriatic plaques, alopecia areata, discoid lupus erythematosus, necrobiosis lipoidica diabeticorum, granuloma annulare) unresponsive to topical therapy.a

Rarely indicated for psoriasis;a if used, exacerbation may occur when the drug is withdrawn or dosage is decreased.a

Rarely indicated systemically for alopecia (areata, totalis, or universalis).a c May stimulate hair growth, but hair loss returns when the drug is discontinued.a

Allergic Conditions

For control of severe or incapacitating allergic conditions intractable to adequate trials of conventional treatment and control of acute manifestations, including acute noninfectious laryngeal edema, serum sickness, allergic symptoms of trichinosis†, urticarial transfusion reactions, drug hypersensitivity reactions, and severe seasonal or perennial rhinitis.a c

Systemic therapy usually reserved for acute conditions and severe exacerbations.a

For acute conditions, usually used in high dosage and with other therapies (e.g., antihistamines, sympathomimetics).a

Reserve prolonged treatment of chronic allergic conditions for disabling conditions unresponsive to more conservative therapy and when risks of long-term glucocorticoid therapy are justified.a

Ocular Disorders

To suppress a variety of allergic and nonpyogenic ocular inflammations.a

To reduce scarring in ocular injuries†.a

For the treatment of severe acute and chronic allergic and inflammatory processes involving the eye that are intractable to adequate trials of conventional treatment (e.g., allergic conjunctivitis, keratitis, allergic corneal marginal ulcers, herpes zoster ophthalmicus, iritis and iridocyclitis, chorioretinitis, diffuse posterior uveitis and choroiditis, anterior segment inflammation, optic neuritis, sympathetic ophthalmia).c

Less severe allergic and inflammatory allergic conditions of the eye are treated with topical (to the eye) corticosteroids.d

Glucocorticoids used systemically in stubborn cases of anterior segment eye disease and when deeper ocular structures are involved.a

Asthma

Systemically (IM or orally) for control of severe or incapacitating allergic bronchial asthma intractable to adequate trials of conventional treatment recommended by the manufacturer. However, experts do not recommend IM administration of betamethasone for treatment of asthma.

Oral glucocorticoids with minimal mineralocorticoid activity and relatively short half-life (e.g., prednisone, prednisolone, methylprednisolone) are preferred.

Sarcoidosis

Management of symptomatic sarcoidosis.a c

Systemic glucocorticoids are indicated for hypercalcemia; ocular, CNS, glandular, myocardial, or severe pulmonary involvement; or severe skin lesions unresponsive to intralesional injections of glucocorticoids.a

Advanced Pulmonary and Extrapulmonary Tuberculosis

Systemically as adjunctive therapy with effective antimycobacterial agents (e.g., streptomycin, isoniazid) to suppress manifestations related to the host’s inflammatory response to the bacillus (Mycobacterium tuberculosis) and ameliorate complications in severe pulmonary or extrapulmonary tuberculosis.c

Adjunctive glucocorticoid therapy may enhance short-term resolution of disease manifestations (e.g., clinical and radiographic abnormalities) in advanced pulmonary tuberculosis and also may reduce mortality associated with certain forms of extrapulmonary disease (e.g., meningitis, pericarditis).

Systemic adjunctive glucocorticoids may reduce sequelae (e.g., intellectual impairment) and/or improve survival in moderate to severe tuberculous meningitis; used in the treatment of tuberculous meningitis with subarachnoid block or impending block concurrently with appropriate antituberculous chemotherapy.a

Systemic adjunctive glucocorticoid therapy rapidly reduces the size of pericardial effusions and the need for drainage procedures and decreases mortality (probably through control of hemodynamically threatening effusion) in acute tuberculous pericarditis.

Loeffler’s Syndrome

Symptomatic relief of acute manifestations of symptomatic Loeffler’s syndrome not manageable by other means.a

Berylliosis

Symptomatic relief of acute manifestations of berylliosis.a

Aspiration Pneumonitis

Symptomatic relief of acute manifestations of aspiration pneumonitis.a

Antenatal Use in Preterm Labor

Short-course IM therapy in selected women with preterm labor to hasten fetal maturation† (e.g., lungs, cerebral blood vessels), including women with premature rupture of membranes, preeclampsia, or third-trimester hemorrhage.

Combined effects on multiple organ maturation reduces neonatal mortality; beneficial effects extend to a broad range of gestational ages (i.e., 24–34 weeks).

Efficacy and safety of antenatal glucocorticoid therapy before 24 weeks or after 34 weeks of gestation have not been established.

Maternal use of tocolytic agents in conjunction with glucocorticoids may delay delivery in preterm labor long enough for the fetus to derive benefit from glucocorticoid-induced accelerated fetal maturation.

Reduces the incidence and/or severity of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome† (RDS) and neonatal mortality as indicated by a reduction in requirements for neonatal ventilatory support or surfactant therapy; beneficial effects are additive with those of surfactant.

Can improve neonatal circulatory stability and reduce the incidence or severity of intraventricular hemorrhage†, which surfactant therapy alone does not appear to benefit.

Conflicting data concerning the effects on the incidence of necrotizing colitis†, bronchopulmonary dysplasia†, and patent ductus arteriosus† in neonates.

Use to reduce infant morbidity and mortality in women with preterm premature rupture of membranes is somewhat controversial, since the magnitude of neonatal benefit on RDS† appears to be less and the risk of neonatal infection greater than those in women with intact membranes.

Hematologic Disorders

Management of acquired (autoimmune) hemolytic anemia, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), secondary thrombocytopenia, erythroblastopenia, or congenital (erythroid) hypoplastic anemia.a c

High or even massive dosages decrease bleeding tendencies and normalize blood counts; does not affect the course or duration of hematologic disorders.a

Glucocorticoids, immune globulin IV (IGIV), or splenectomy are first-line therapies for moderate to severe ITP, depending on the extent of bleeding involved.

GI Diseases

Short-term palliative therapy for acute exacerbations and systemic complications of ulcerative colitis, regional enteritis (Crohn’s disease), or celiac disease.a c

Use with caution if there is a probability of impending perforation, abscess, or other pyogenic infection.

Rarely indicated for maintenance therapy in chronic GI diseases (ulcerative colitis, celiac disease) since therapy does not prevent relapses and may produce severe adverse reactions with long-term administration.a

Occasionally, low dosages, in conjunction with other supportive therapy, may be useful for disease unresponsive to the usual therapy indicated for chronic conditions.a

Management of mildly to moderately active and moderately to severely active Crohn’s disease.

Parenteral glucocorticoids recommended for patients with severe fulminant Crohn’s disease. Once patients respond to parenteral therapy, gradually switch to an equivalent regimen of an oral glucocorticoid.

Some experts state that glucocorticoids should not be used for the management of mildly to moderately active Crohn’s disease because of the high incidence of adverse effects. Reserve use for patients with moderately to severely active disease.

Should not be used for maintenance therapy of chronic GI diseases (e.g., ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease) because they usually do not prevent relapses, and the drugs may produce severe adverse effects with long-term administration.a c

Has been used in the management of moderately to severely active Crohn’s disease and in mild esophageal or gastroduodenal Crohn’s disease in pediatric patients.

Neoplastic Diseases

Alone or as a component of various chemotherapeutic regimens in the palliative treatment of neoplastic diseases of the lymphatic system (e.g., leukemias and lymphomas in adults and acute leukemias in children).a

Treatment of breast cancer†; glucocorticoids alone not as effective as other agents (e.g., cytotoxic agents, hormones, antiestrogens) and should be reserved for unresponsive disease.a c

Alone or as a component of various combination chemotherapeutic regimens for palliative treatment of advanced, symptomatic (i.e., painful) hormone-refractory prostate cancer†.c

Low Back Pain

Has been used epidurally† (alone or combined with a local anesthetic and/or an opiate analgesic) for symptomatic relief of low back pain†.

Although use remains controversial and convincing evidence of efficacy is lacking, most experts consider such therapy an option for short-term relief of acute, subacute, or chronic radicular pain in patients with low back pain and radiculopathy associated with disk disease or herniation or spinal stenosis. Use when more conservative therapies (e.g., rest, analgesics, physical therapy) fail and as a means of potentially avoiding surgery. (See Nervous System Effects under Cautions.)

Limited evidence suggests that therapeutic facet joint† and intradiscal glucocorticoid injections† are minimally effective or ineffective in the treatment of low back pain, although facet joint injections may be useful in some patients with facet arthropathy. Inclusion of a glucocorticoid in trigger point injections does not appear to be beneficial.

Sacroiliac joint injections performed using fluoroscopic guidance may provide temporary pain relief in some patients when the principal source of spinal pain is the sacroiliac joint.

Oral glucocorticoids† have been used; however, they do not appear to be effective and evidence supporting such use is lacking.

Myasthenia Gravis

Management of myasthenia gravis†, usually when there is an inadequate response to anticholinesterase therapy.c

Parenterally for the treatment of myasthenic crisis.

Organ Transplants

In massive dosage, used concomitantly with other immunosuppressive drugs to prevent rejection of transplanted organs†.a c

Incidence of secondary infections is high with immunosuppressive drugs; limit to clinicians experienced in their use.a

Trichinosis

Treatment of trichinosis with neurologic or myocardial involvement.

Nephrotic Syndrome and Lupus Nephritis

Treatment of idiopathic nephrotic syndrome without uremia.

Can induce diuresis and remission of proteinuria in nephrotic syndrome.a

Treatment of lupus nephritis.a

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Local injection into the tissue near the carpal tunnel has been used in a limited number of patients to relieve symptoms (e.g., pain, edema, sensory deficit) of carpal tunnel syndrome†.

Apply a few drops of Betamethasone dipropionate lotion (augmented), 0.05% to the affected skin areas once or twice daily and massage lightly until the lotion disappears.

Therapy should be discontinued when control is achieved. If no improvement is seen within 2 weeks, reassessment of diagnosis may be necessary. Betamethasone dipropionate lotion (augmented), 0.05% is a super-high-potency topical corticosteroid. Treatment with Betamethasone dipropionate lotion (augmented), 0.05% should be limited to 2 consecutive weeks and amounts should not exceed 50 mL per week because of the potential for the drug to suppress the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis.

Betamethasone dipropionate lotion (augmented), 0.05% should not be used with occlusive dressings unless directed by a physician.

Betamethasone dipropionate lotion (augmented), 0.05% is for topical use only. It is not for oral, ophthalmic, or intravaginal use.

Avoid use on the face, groin, or axillae, or if skin atrophy is present at the treatment site.

Lotion, 0.05%. Each gram of Betamethasone dipropionate lotion USP (augmented), 0.05% contains 0.643 mg Betamethasone dipropionate, USP (equivalent to 0.5 mg Betamethasone) in a colorless, clear to translucent lotion.

Betamethasone dipropionate lotion (augmented), 0.05% is contraindicated in patients who are hypersensitive to Betamethasone dipropionate, to other corticosteroids, or to any ingredient in this preparation.

Betamethasone Dipropionate Lotion USP (Augmented), 0.05% contains Betamethasone dipropionate USP, a synthetic adrenocorticosteroid, for topical use. Betamethasone, an analog of prednisolone, has a high degree of corticosteroid activity and a slight degree of mineralocorticoid activity. Betamethasone dipropionate is the 17,21-dipropionate ester of Betamethasone.

Chemically, Betamethasone dipropionate is 9-fluoro-11β,17,21-trihydroxy-16β-methylpregna-1,4-diene-3,20-dione 17,21-dipropionate, with the molecular formula C28H37FO7, a molecular weight of 504.6, and the following structural formula:

It is a white to creamy-white, odorless powder insoluble in water; freely soluble in acetone and in chloroform; sparingly soluble in alcohol.

Each gram of Betamethasone Dipropionate Lotion USP (Augmented), 0.05% contains: 0.643 mg Betamethasone dipropionate, USP (equivalent to 0.5 mg Betamethasone) in a colorless, clear to translucent lotion base of purified water, isopropyl alcohol (30%), phosphoric acid used to adjust the pH, hydroxypropyl cellulose, propylene glycol, and monobasic sodium phosphate (monohydrate).

Mechanism of Action

Corticosteroids play a role in cellular signaling, immune function, inflammation, and protein regulation; however, the precise mechanism of action of Betamethasone dipropionate lotion (augmented), 0.05% in corticosteroid responsive dermatoses is unknown.

Pharmacodynamics

Vasoconstrictor Assay

Trials performed with Betamethasone dipropionate lotion (augmented), 0.05% indicate that it is in the super-high range of potency as demonstrated in vasoconstrictor trials in healthy subjects when compared with other topical corticosteroids. However, similar blanching scores do not necessarily imply therapeutic equivalence.

Pharmacokinetics

No pharmacokinetic trials have been conducted with Betamethasone dipropionate lotion (augmented), 0.05%.

The extent of percutaneous absorption of topical corticosteroids is determined by many factors including the vehicle, the integrity of the epidermal barrier, and the use of occlusive dressings [see Dosage and Administration (2)].

Topical corticosteroids can be absorbed through normal intact skin. Inflammation and/or other disease processes in the skin may increase percutaneous absorption. Occlusive dressings substantially increase the percutaneous absorption of topical corticosteroids [see Dosage and Administration (2)].

Once absorbed through the skin, topical corticosteroids enter pharmacokinetic pathways similar to systemically administered corticosteroids. Corticosteroids are bound to plasma proteins in varying degrees, are metabolized primarily in the liver, and excreted by the kidneys. Some of the topical corticosteroids and their metabolites are also excreted into the bile.

Your pharmacist can provide more information about betamethasone topical.

Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.

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