Dexamethasone Side Effects

Brand Names: Cortastat, Decadron, Baycadron

Please note - some side effects for Dexamethasone may not be reported. Always consult your doctor or healthcare specialist for medical advice. You may also report side effects to the FDA at http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/ or 1-800-FDA-1088 (1-800-332-1088).

Side Effects of Dexamethasone - for the Consumer

Dexamethasone

All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome when using Dexamethasone:

Difficulty sleeping; feeling of a whirling motion; increased appetite; increased sweating; indigestion; mood changes; nervousness.

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); appetite loss; black, tarry stools; changes in menstrual periods; convulsions; depression; diarrhea; dizziness; exaggerated sense of well-being; fever; general body discomfort; headache; increased pressure in the eye; joint or muscle pain; mood swings; muscle weakness; personality changes; prolonged sore throat, cold, or fever; puffing of the face; severe nausea or vomiting; swelling of feet or legs; unusual weight gain; vomiting material that looks like coffee grounds; weakness; weight loss.

Dexamethasone Drops

All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome when using Dexamethasone Drops:

Blurring of vision; increased pressure in the eye.

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); cataracts; changes in vision; continued or worsening itching or swelling; continuing blurred vision; discharge from eyes; eye pain; glaucoma; vision problems.

Dexamethasone/Neomycin/Polymyxin B Drops

All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome when using Dexamethasone/Neomycin/Polymyxin B Drops:

Burning or stinging when you first put the medicine in your eye; dry, flaky skin; irritation; itching; redness; swelling.

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); changes in vision; continued burning or itching; eye pain.

Dexamethasone Elixir

All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome when using Dexamethasone Elixir:

Difficulty sleeping; feeling of a whirling motion; increased appetite; increased sweating; indigestion; mood changes; nervousness.

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); appetite loss; black, tarry stools; changes in menstrual periods; convulsions; depression; diarrhea; dizziness; exaggerated sense of well-being; fever; general body discomfort; headache; increased pressure in the eye; joint or muscle pain; mood swings; muscle weakness; personality changes; prolonged sore throat, cold, or fever; puffing of the face; severe nausea or vomiting; swelling of feet or legs; unusual weight gain; vomiting material that looks like coffee grounds; weakness; weight loss.

Dexamethasone/Neomycin/Polymyxin B Ointment

All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome when using Dexamethasone/Neomycin/Polymyxin B Ointment:

Burning or stinging when you first put the medicine in your eye; dry, flaky skin; irritation; itching; redness; swelling.

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); changes in vision; continued burning or itching; eye pain.

Dexamethasone Solution

All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome when using Dexamethasone Solution:

Acne; clumsiness; dizziness; facial flushing; feeling of whirling motion; general body discomfort; headache; increased appetite; increased sweating; nausea; nervousness; pain, swelling, or redness at the injection site; sleeplessness; upset stomach.

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); black, tarry stools; changes in body fat; changes in menstrual periods; changes in skin color; chest pain; easy bruising or bleeding; mental or mood changes (eg, depression); muscle pain, weakness, or wasting; swelling of feet or legs; seizures; severe nausea or vomiting; sudden severe dizziness or headache; symptoms of infection (eg, fever, chills, sore throat); tendon or bone pain; thinning of the skin; unusual skin sensation; unusual weight gain; vision changes or other eye problems; vomit that looks like coffee grounds.

Dexamethasone Suspension

All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome when using Dexamethasone Suspension:

Blurring of vision.

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); changes in vision; continued blurred vision; continued or worsening itching or swelling; discharge from eyes; eye pain.

Dexamethasone Tablets (Dose Pack)

All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome when using Dexamethasone Tablets (Dose Pack):

Difficulty sleeping; feeling of a whirling motion; increased appetite; increased sweating; indigestion; mood changes; nervousness.

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); appetite loss; black, tarry stools; changes in menstrual periods; convulsions; depression; diarrhea; dizziness; exaggerated sense of well-being; fever; general body discomfort; headache; increased pressure in the eye; joint or muscle pain; mood swings; muscle weakness; personality changes; prolonged sore throat, cold, or fever; puffing of the face; severe nausea or vomiting; swelling of feet or legs; unusual weight gain; vomiting material that looks like coffee grounds; weakness; weight loss.

Dexamethasone Side Effects - for the Professional

Dexamethasone

(listed alphabetically, under each subsection)

The following adverse reactions have been reported with Dexamethasone or other corticosteroids:

Allergic Reactions

Anaphylactoid reaction, anaphylaxis, angioedema.

Cardiovascular

Bradycardia, cardiac arrest, cardiac arrhythmias, cardiac enlargement, circulatory collapse, congestive heart failure, fat embolism, hypertension, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in premature infants, myocardial rupture following recent myocardial infarction, edema, pulmonary edema, syncope, tachycardia, thromboembolism, thrombophlebitis, vasculitis.

Dermatologic

Acne, allergic dermatitis, dry scaly skin, ecchymoses and petechiae, erythema, impaired wound healing, increased sweating, rash, striae, suppression of reactions to skin tests, thin fragile skin, thinning scalp hair, urticaria.

Endocrine

Decreased carbohydrate and glucose tolerance, development of cushingoid state, hyperglycemia, glycosuria, hirsutism, hypertrichosis, increased requirements for insulin or oral hypoglycemic agents in diabetes, manifestations of latent diabetes mellitus, menstrual irregularities, secondary adrenocortical and pituitary unresponsiveness (particularly in times of stress, as in trauma, surgery, or illness), suppression of growth in pediatric patients.

Fluid and Electrolyte Disturbances

Congestive heart failure in susceptible patients, fluid retention, hypokalemic alkalosis, potassium loss, sodium retention.

Gastrointestinal

Abdominal distention, elevation in serum liver enzyme levels (usually reversible upon discontinuation), hepatomegaly, increased appetite, nausea, pancreatitis, peptic ulcer with possible perforation and hemorrhage, perforation of the small and large intestine (particularly in patients with inflammatory bowel disease), ulcerative esophagitis.

Metabolic

Negative nitrogen balance due to protein catabolism.

Musculoskeletal

Aseptic necrosis of femoral and humeral heads, loss of muscle mass, muscle weakness, osteoporosis, pathologic fracture of long bones, steroid myopathy, tendon rupture, vertebral compression fractures.

Neurological/Psychiatric

Convulsions, depression, emotional instability, euphoria, headache, increased intracranial pressure with papilledema (pseudotumor cerebri) usually following discontinuation of treatment, insomnia, mood swings, neuritis, neuropathy, paresthesia, personality changes, psychic disorders, vertigo.

Ophthalmic

Exophthalmos, glaucoma, increased intraocular pressure, posterior subcapsular cataracts.

Other

Abnormal fat deposits, decreased resistance to infection, hiccups, increased or decreased motility and number of spermatozoa, malaise, moon face, weight gain.

Dexamethasone Elixir

Fluid and Electrolyte Disturbances:

 

Sodium retention

 

Fluid retention

 

Congestive heart failure in susceptible patients

 

Potassium loss

 

Hypokalemic alkalosis

 

Hypertension

Musculoskeletal:

 

Muscle weakness

 

Steroid myopathy

 

Loss of muscle mass

 

Osteoporosis

 

Vertebral compression fractures

 

Aseptic necrosis of femoral and humeral heads

 

Pathologic fracture of long bones

 

Tendon rupture

Gastrointestinal:

 

Peptic ulcer with possible perforation and hemorrhage

 

Perforation of the small and large bowel, particularly in patients with inflammatory bowel disease

 

Pancreatitis

 

Abdominal distention

 

Ulcerative esophagitis

Dermatologic:

 

Impaired wound healing

 

Thin fragile skin

 

Petechiae and ecchymoses

 

Erythema

 

Increased sweating

 

May suppress reactions to skin tests

 

Other cutaneous reactions, such as allergic dermatitis, urticaria, angioneurotic edema

Neurologic:

 

Convulsions

 

Increased intracranial pressure with papilledema (pseudotumor cerebri) usually after treatment

 

Vertigo

 

Headache

 

Psychic Disturbances

Endocrine:

 

Menstrual irregularities

 

Development of cushingoid state

 

Suppression of growth in children

 

Secondary adrenocortical and pituitary unresponsiveness, particularly in times of stress, as in trauma, surgery, or illness

 

Decreased carbohydrate tolerance

 

Manifestations of latent diabetes mellitus

 

Increased requirements for insulin or oral hypoglycemic agents in diabetes

 

Hirsutism

Ophthalmic:

 

Posterior subcapsular cataracts

 

Increased intraocular pressure

 

Glaucoma

 

Exophthalmos

Metabolic:

 

Negative nitrogen balance due to protein catabolism

Cardiovascular:

 

Myocardial rupture following recent myocardial infarction

Other:

 

Hypersensitivity

 

Thromboembolism

 

Weight gain

 

Increased appetite

 

Nausea

 

Malaise

 

Hiccups

Side Effects by Body System

Cardiovascular

Cardiovascular side effects have included bradycardia, cardiac arrest, cardiac arrhythmias, cardiac enlargement, circulatory collapse, congestive heart failure, fat embolism, hypertension, myocardial rupture following recent myocardial infarction, edema, pulmonary edema, syncope, tachycardia, thromboembolism, thrombophlebitis and vasculitis.

Musculoskeletal

Musculoskeletal side effects have included muscle weakness, steroid myopathy, loss of muscle mass, osteoporosis, vertebral compression fractures, aseptic necrosis of femoral and humoral heads, pathologic fracture of long bones, and tendon rupture.

Gastrointestinal

Gastrointestinal side effects have included peptic ulcer with potential perforation and hemorrhage, perforation of small and large bowel, pancreatitis, abdominal distention, nausea, increased appetite, and ulcerative esophagitis.

Endocrine

Endocrine side effects have included development of cushingoid state, suppression of growth in children, and secondary adrenocortical and pituitary unresponsiveness.

Nervous system

Nervous system side effects have included convulsions, increased intracranial pressure with papilledema, vertigo, myalgia, arthralgia, malaise, headache, hiccups, and psychic disturbances.

Metabolic

Metabolic side effects have included negative nitrogen balance due to protein catabolism, decreased carbohydrate and glucose tolerance, weight gain, hirsutism, hypokalemic alkalosis, and increased requirements for insulin or oral hypoglycemic agents in diabetics.

Ocular

Ocular side effects have included posterior subcapsular cataracts, increased intraocular pressure, glaucoma, and exophthalmos.

Dermatologic

Dermatologic side effects have included impaired wound healing, thin fragile skin, petechiae and ecchymoses, dry scaly skin, erythema, acne, thinning scalp hair, urticaria, increased sweating, rash, striae, allergic dermatitis, urticaria, angioneurotic edema, and suppression of skin test reactions.

Psychiatric

Psychiatric side effects have included euphoria, insomnia, mood swings, personality changes, severe depression, and psychotic manifestations.

Hematologic

Hematologic side effects have included rare reports of thromboembolism.

Genitourinary

Genitourinary effects have included increase/decrease in motility and number of spermatozoa in men and menstrual irregularities in women.

Hepatic

Hepatic side effects have included reports of reversible hepatomegaly. Three case reports of children treated with high dose dexamethasone describe the earliest diagnosis of hepatomegaly as early as 8 days from the start of therapy.

Hypersensitivity

Hypersensitivity side effects have included anaphylactoid reactions, anaphylaxis and angioedema.

Renal

Renal side effects have included fluid retention, sodium retention, and potassium loss,

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