Patient/caregiver was instructed upon therapeutic uses of and mechanism of action of prednisone as follows
- Prednisone is a steroid medication belonging to the class of corticosteroids.
- Therapeutic uses of prednisone mainly involve activation of allergies, exacerbation of immune responses, and inflammatory states.
- Prednisone helps prevent the release of immune mediators, such as, interleukins and tumor necrosis factor, which play a key role in allergy and immune response. This action of prednisone contributes to suppressing overactive immune system that is responsible for activation of symptoms in various allergy conditions and autoimmune diseases, such as, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, ulcerative colitis, crohn’s disease, and asthma.
- Prednisone helps prevent the release of inflammatory mediators, such as, prostaglandins and leukotrienes, which play a key role in inflammatory response in various tissues. By inhibiting release of inflammatory mediators, prednisone contributes to relief of pain and inflammation in inflamed tissues.
- Other actions of prednisone include the actions similar to that of the natural corticosteroid hormone produced in the human body, cortisol, regulating important functions of human body metabolism and response to stress.
