Patient/caregiver was educated on contraindications for using prednisone as follows:
- Prednisone intake can result in sodium and water retention with loss of potassium from the body. Increased sodium and fluid volume in circulation can contribute to elevated blood pressure readings, poor blood pressure control in hypertensive individuals, and extra load on failing heart, thus complicating cardiac function in individuals with CHF. Also, low potassium levels, secondary to prednisone intake, can result in serious complications of cardiac arrhythmias. Prednisone use is contraindicated or carefully administered in individuals with history of hypertension, cardiac failure, and arrhythmias.
- Prednisone use can result in elevated blood sugar levels and result in poor glycemic control in diabetic individuals. Prednisone is contraindicated or used cautiously in individuals with history of poorly managed diabetes.
- Prednisone carries the risk of immune suppression and thereby, increases susceptibility to infections. So, prednisone use is either contraindicated or used with extreme caution in individuals with history of immune suppression and/or recurrent infections. Prednisone use is also contraindicated in individuals with history of opportunistic infections, such as, candidiasis and in individuals with history of latent infections, such as, chicken pox, as prednisone can lead to fresh episodes of opportunistic infections and activate latent infections.
