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Deflacone ( Calcort, Generic Deflazacort ) |
A wide range of conditions may sometimes need treatment with glucocorticoids. The indications include:
Anaphylaxis, asthma, severe hypersensitivity reactions
Rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile chronic arthritis, polymyalgia rheumatica
Systemic lupus erythematosus, dermatomyositis, mixed connective tissue disease (other than systemic sclerosis), polyarteritis nodosa, sarcoidosis
Pemphigus, bullous pemphigoid, pyoderma gangrenosum
Minimal change nephrotic syndrome, acute interstitial nephritis
Rheumatic carditis
Ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease
Uveitis, optic neuritis
Autoimmune haemolytic anaemia, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura
Acute and lymphatic leukaemia, malignant lymphoma, multiple myeloma
Immune suppression in transplantation
Taking your medicine
Doctors sometimes prescribe different doses to those stated below. Increased doses and additional treatment may be needed at times of body stress, e.g. infections, operations, other illness. You should tell the doctor that you are taking Calcort tablets if you attend for treatment of any illness. Usually, dosage is as follows:-
Adults
The usual dose in adults for most conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, is in the range of 3-18mg taken orally each day.
In some instances, an initial dose of up to 120mg each day may be needed.
The dose in adults with severe asthma may be up to 48 to 72mg each day to begin with. This dose may be gradually reduced once the asthma attack has been controlled.
Children
Doses in children are given according to the child's bodyweight. Your doctor or pharmacist will be able to advise you on the number of tablets needed in each case.
The usual dose in children with chronic arthritis is between 0.25 - 1.0mg/kg bodyweight each day.
The usual dose in children with nephrotic syndrome is 1.5mg/kg bodyweight each day, to begin with. This dose may be gradually reduced according to the child's response.
The usual dose for children with asthma is between 0.25-1.0mg/kg bodyweight every other day.
If you take too many tablets
If you accidentally take too many Calcort tablets, tell your doctor or pharmacist at once.
If you forget to take a tablet
If you forget to take a tablet, do NOT take extra to make up, but continue with the next dose as usual.
Stopping your medicine
Your doctor will tell you when to stop taking your medicine. It is important that you don't stop suddenly without talking to your doctor.
Some people who have taken Calcort tablets for a long time may feel unwell, feverish or have pains in their muscles and joints when they stop taking Calcort tablets. If you feel like this, tell your doctor or pharmacist.
Deflazacort tablets contain the active ingredient deflazacort, which is a type of medicine known as a corticosteroid. Corticosteroids are hormones that are produced naturally by the adrenal glands. They have many important functions in the body, including control of inflammatory responses. Corticosteroid medicines are man-made derivatives of the natural hormones. They are often simply called steroids, but it should be noted that they are very different from another group of steroids, called anabolic steroids, which have gained notoriety because of their abuse by some athletes and body builders. Deflazacort is a synthetic steroid that has an anti-inflammatory effect. It is used to decrease inflammation in various different diseases and conditions. Deflazacort works by acting within cells to prevent the release of certain chemicals that are important in the immune system. These chemicals are normally involved in producing immune and allergic responses, resulting in inflammation. By decreasing the release of these chemicals in a particular area, inflammation is reduced. This can help control a wide number of disease states characterised by excessive inflammation. These include severe allergic reactions, inflammation of the lungs in asthma and inflammation of the joints in arthritis. Deflazacort also decreases the numbers of white blood cells circulating in the blood. This, along with the decrease in inflammatory chemicals, can prevent the rejection of organ transplants, as it prevents the body from attacking foreign tissue. It is useful for the treatment of certain types of leukaemia, where there is an abnormally large production of certain white blood cells, and for treating certain diseases that are caused by the immune system attacking tissues in the body (autoimmune diseases). What is it used for?Calcort tablets can be used to treat a wide variety of diseases and conditions that require either reduction of inflammation or suppression of the immune system. These include those listed below.Severe allergic reactions, eg anaphylaxis.Asthma.Rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile chronic arthritis, polymyalgia rheumatica.Inflammatory bowel disease such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.Inflammatory disorders of the kidney, such as nephrotic syndrome and interstitial nephritis.Inflammatory eye disorders, eg uveitis, optic neuritis.Inflammatory skin disorders, including pemphigus vulgaris, bullous pemphigoid and pyoderma gangrenosum.Inflammatory disease of the skin and muscles (dermatomyositis). Inflammatory disease called systemic lupus erythematosus, which can affect many organs throughout the body and is caused by the immune system attacking connective tissue in the body. Mixed connective tissue disease. Rare condition involving inflammation in the walls of arteries (polyarteritis nodosa). Sarcoidosis.Rheumatic carditis.Cancer of the bone marrow (multiple myeloma).Acute and lymphatic leukaemia.Cancer of the lymph nodes (lymphoma).Idiopathic thrombocytopenia purpura.Anaemia caused by the immune system attacking red blood cells (autoimmune haemolytic anaemia).Helping to prevent the immune system attacking a transplanted organ, eg heart, liver, kidney etc. |
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