Comparing Dexamethasone vs Prednisone

View side-by-side comparisons of medication uses, ratings, cost, side effects and interactions.
Dexamethasone	Prednisone	Enter another drug to compare

Dexamethasone

Prednisone

Prescription only

Dexamethasone reduces inflammation and calms down an overactive immune system and is significantly more potent than prednisolone. It may be given to control inflammation associated with eye disease... View more

Prescription only

Prednisone effectively controls inflammation and an overactive immune system but may not be suitable for everybody. Long-term use is limited by potentially severe side effects such as adrenal... View more

More about Dexamethasone

More about Prednisone

Ratings & Reviews

Dexamethasone has an average rating of 5.9 out of 10 from a total of 164 ratings on Drugs.com. 46% of reviewers reported a positive effect, while 35% reported a negative effect.

Prednisone has an average rating of 7.5 out of 10 from a total of 872 ratings on Drugs.com. 68% of reviewers reported a positive effect, while 17% reported a negative effect.

View all 164 reviews

View all 872 reviews

Side Effects Experienced by Users Side effects are reported in Drugs.com user reviews and not clinically verified.

Anxiety (14.0%)
Insomnia (14.0%)
Headaches (12.2%)
Depression (9.8%)
Irritability (7.9%)
Weight gain (7.9%)
Nausea (6.7%)

View all Dexamethasone side effects

Insomnia (8.6%)
Weight gain (7.0%)
Swelling (6.2%)
Anxiety (5.8%)
Itching (5.5%)
Pain (4.8%)
Rash (3.7%)

View all Prednisone side effects

Drug Class

Glucocorticoids

Glucocorticoids

Generic Availability

Lower cost generic

Pricing and Coupons * Prices are without insurance

Quantity	4 tablet
Strength	4 mg
Per unit^*	$1.59
Cost^*	$6.34

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Quantity	5 tablet
Strength	20 mg
Per unit^*	$0.65 - $1.07
Cost^*	$3.27 - $5.37

View all Prednisone prices

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Dosage Forms

Injectable solution
Oral liquid
Oral tablet

Oral solution
Oral tablet

Half Life Drug half-life is the time required for plasma concentration to reduce to half its original value.

N/A

4 hours

CSA Schedule ¹ View glossary of CSA terms

Not a controlled drug

Is not subject to the Controlled Substances Act.

Not a controlled drug

Is not subject to the Controlled Substances Act.

Pregnancy Category

Category C Risk cannot be ruled out

See the full pregnancy warnings document.

Category C Risk cannot be ruled out

Excluding First Trimester

Category D Positive evidence of risk

First Trimester

See the full pregnancy warnings document.

Drug Interactions

A total of 829 drugs are known to interact with Dexamethasone:

169 major drug interactions (461 brand and generic names)
604 moderate drug interactions (2276 brand and generic names)
56 minor drug interactions (278 brand and generic names)

A total of 631 drugs are known to interact with Prednisone:

80 major drug interactions (220 brand and generic names)
508 moderate drug interactions (1933 brand and generic names)
43 minor drug interactions (232 brand and generic names)

Alcohol/Food/Lifestyle Interactions

No known alcohol/food interactions. This does not necessarily mean no interactions exist. Always consult your healthcare provider.

Disease Interactions

First Approval Date

October 30, 1958

February 21, 1955

WADA Class View classifications

S9 - Glucocorticoids

S9 - Glucocorticoids

More Information

Patient Resources

Dexamethasone uses

Prednisone uses

Professional Resources

¹ The Controlled Substances Act (CSA) schedule information displayed applies to substances regulated under federal law. There may be variations in CSA schedules between individual states.

Further information

Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.

Medical Disclaimer

Comparing Dexamethasone vs Prednisone

See also:

Carvykti

Abecma

Entyvio

Nplate

Otezla

Saphnelo

Skyrizi

Tecvayli

Dupixent

Kesimpta

Further information

Comparing Dexamethasone vs Prednisone

See also:

Further information

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