Side effects of oral corticosteroids
As corticosteroids are hormones, they can have a wide range of side effects. the range and severity of the side effects will depend on two factors:
With oral corticosteroids the effects are spread throughout the body.
Long-term corticosteroid use is more likely to lead to hormonal changes within the body, which can cause a wide range of side effects.
Short term effects (days):
- Indigestion
- Skin bruising
- Insomnia
- Psychosis
Medium term effects (weeks):
- Skin bruising
- Gastric ulcers
- Insomnia
- Psychosis
- Posterior subcapsular cataracts
- Growth retardation in children
- Weight gain
- Cushingoid appearance
- Adrenal suppression
- Hypertension
- Diabetes
- Avascular necrosis
