De-Sone LA injection

Dexamethasone is a steroid that prevents the release of substances in the body that cause inflammation.

Dexamethasone is used to treat many different conditions such as allergic disorders, skin conditions, ulcerative colitis, arthritis, lupus, psoriasis, breathing disorders, inflammatory eye conditions, blood cell disorders, leukemia, or endocrine disorders.

Dexamethasone may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

You should not use this medication if you have a fungal infection anywhere in your body.

Dexamethasone is often injected into a muscle or into a vein through an IV. A healthcare provider will give you this injection. Dexamethasone injection is usually given for only a few days.

Your dosage needs may change if you have any unusual stress such as a serious illness, fever or infection, or if you have surgery or a medical emergency. Tell your doctor about any such situation that affects you.

This medication can cause unusual results with certain medical tests. Tell any doctor who treats you that you are using dexamethasone.

After your treatment ends, you may have withdrawal symptoms such as fever, weakness, and joint or muscle pain. You should not stop using dexamethasone suddenly.

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Tell your doctor at once if you have:

• problems with your vision;

• swelling, rapid weight gain, feeling short of breath;

• severe depression, unusual thoughts or behavior, seizure (convulsions);

• bloody or tarry stools, coughing up blood or vomit that looks like coffee grounds;

• pancreatitis (severe pain in your upper stomach spreading to your back, nausea and vomiting, fast heart rate);

• low potassium (confusion, uneven heart rate, extreme thirst, increased urination, leg discomfort, muscle weakness or limp feeling); or

• dangerously high blood pressure (severe headache, blurred vision, buzzing in your ears, anxiety, confusion, chest pain, shortness of breath, uneven heartbeats, seizure).

Common side effects may include:

• sleep problems (insomnia), mood changes;

• acne, dry skin, thinning skin, bruising or discoloration;

• slow wound healing;

• increased sweating;

• headache, dizziness, spinning sensation;

• bloating; or

• changes in the shape or location of body fat (especially in your arms, legs, face, neck, breasts, and waist).

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

40 mg oral/IV on days 1, 8, 15, 22, and repeated every 4 weeks

Comments:
-This drug is a part of most major treatment regimens in multiple myeloma; treatment regimens should be consulted.
-In regimens containing bortezomib, the day 1 dexamethasone dose may be split to provide 20 mg on the day of and 20 mg on the day after bortezomib.
-Doses may need to be adjusted for performance status or other toxicities

Use: For the treatment of multiple myeloma.

Dosing should be individualized on the basis of disease and patient response

Oral:
-Initial dose: 0.75 mg to 9 mg orally per day
Parenteral:
-Initial dose: 0.5 mg to 9 mg IV or IM per day in divided doses every 12 hours

Maintenance dose: After a favorable initial response, dose should be decreased in small amounts to the lowest dose that maintains an adequate clinical response; if a positive response is not achieved after a reasonable period of time, alternative therapy should be sought.

Comments:
-Lower doses, including doses lower than recommended doses, may suffice in less severe disease; doses in excess of recommended doses may be required in severe disease; in life-threatening situations, doses exceeding multiples of the oral dose may be justified.
-When oral therapy is not feasible IV or IM therapy in doses ranging from one-third to one-half the oral dose may be given every 12 hours.
-Patients should be closely monitored for signs requiring dose adjustments; if therapy is to be stopped after more than a few days, it should be gradually withdrawn.

Uses: For use as a potent anti-inflammatory agent in managing disorders, diseases, and conditions affecting many organ systems including endocrine, dermatologic, ophthalmic, nervous. gastrointestinal, respiratory, musculoskeletal, and hematologic.

First day: 4 to 8 mg IM once
Second and third day: 1.5 mg orally twice per day
Fourth day: 0.75 mg orally twice per day
Fifth and sixth day: 0.75 mg orally once a day
Seventh day: No treatment
Eighth day: Reassessment

Comments: This dosing schedule is designed to ensure adequate therapy during an acute episode while minimizing the risk of overdose in chronic cases.

Use: For the treatment of acute, self-limited allergic disorder or exacerbation of chronic allergic disorder.

Suggested doses:
Large joints: 2 to 4 mg
Small joints: 0.8 to 1 mg
Bursae: 2 to 4 mg
Tendon Sheaths: 0.4 to 1 mg

Injections may be repeated from once every 3 to 5 days to once every 2 to 3 weeks

Comments:
-Dose will vary according to the degree of inflammation and the size and location of the affected site.
-Intrasynovial and soft tissue injections should be limited to 1 or 2 sites; frequent intra-articular injections may cause damage to joint tissue.

Use: As adjunctive therapy for an acute episode or exacerbation of synovitis of osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, acute and subacute bursitis, acute gouty arthritis, epicondylitis, acute nonspecific tenosynovitis, and posttraumatic osteoarthritis.

Suggested doses:
Large joints: 2 to 4 mg
Small joints: 0.8 to 1 mg
Bursae: 2 to 4 mg
Tendon Sheaths: 0.4 to 1 mg

Injections may be repeated from once every 3 to 5 days to once every 2 to 3 weeks

Comments:
-Dose will vary according to the degree of inflammation and the size and location of the affected site.
-Intrasynovial and soft tissue injections should be limited to 1 or 2 sites; frequent intra-articular injections may cause damage to joint tissue.

Use: As adjunctive therapy for an acute episode or exacerbation of synovitis of osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, acute and subacute bursitis, acute gouty arthritis, epicondylitis, acute nonspecific tenosynovitis, and posttraumatic osteoarthritis.

Suggested doses:
Soft tissue infiltration: 2 to 6 mg
Ganglia: 1 to 2 mg

Comments:
-Dose will vary according to the degree of inflammation and the size and location of the affected site.
-Soft tissue and intralesional injections should be limited to 1 or 2 sites.

Uses: As adjunctive therapy for keloids; localized hypertrophic, infiltrated, inflammatory lesion of lichen planus, psoriatic plaques, granuloma annulare, and lichen simplex chronicus (neurodermatitis); discoid lupus erythematosus; necrobiosis lipoidica diabeticorum; alopecia areata. May be useful in cystic tumors of an aponeurosis tendon (ganglia).

0.15 mg/kg oral/IV/IM every 6 hours

Comments:
-Dosing based on Wilderness and Environmental Medicine guidance.
-Prophylactic use of this drug for acute mountain sickness (AMS) is not recommended in pediatric patients due to the potential for toxicity; safer alternatives such as graded ascent and acetazolamide should be considered.
-Treatment does not facilitate acclimation; further ascent should be delayed until the patient is asymptomatic while off the medication.

Use: For the treatment of acute mountain sickness.