Dexamethasone

This new drug that is floating around in the news this week, is it a drug that could be helpful for steroid users (adding to their cycles) ?

Dexamethasone

businesstech.co.za/news/government/40811...sed-in-south-africa/

Colt wrote: ...is it a drug that could be helpful for steroid users (adding to their cycles) ?

No absolutely not, you don't take corticosteroids/glucocorticoids unless you have to.

It's a very old drug from the late 50's by the way.

It does absolutely nothing for mild to serious cases of covid-19. It has only proved beneficial to people who are critically ill with the virus - severe cases where the cytokine storm syndrome inflammation can end up killing them.

Thank you. I know that corticosteroids/glucocorticoids are not healthy. They do have a place, but not for general use.

A friend of mine, received this drug yesterday, after a neck operation. So it made me wonder about the drug.


Interesting about the Covid-19 cases, for the critically ill only.

Thank you

Colt wrote: They do have a place, but not for general use.

Yes, exactly.

Dexamethasone is commonly used in hospital for things like spinal compression secondary to metastasis, ARDS etc.

It has shown in it's trials to decrease mortality in 1/3 of the severe cases of COVID.

It is in fact immunosuppresive. (All corticosteroids are). So why use it for viral infections? Because what kills in viral infections is the body's own response to the virus mediated by inflammatory pathways. Coricosteroids decrease this response.

LesDoctor wrote: Dexamethasone is commonly used in hospital for things like spinal compression secondary to metastasis, ARDS etc.

It has shown in it's trials to decrease mortality in 1/3 of the severe cases of COVID.

It is in fact immunosuppresive. (All corticosteroids are). So why use it for viral infections? Because what kills in viral infections is the body's own response to the virus mediated by inflammatory pathways. Coricosteroids decrease this response.

I'm not that impressed that we only here with things, the first thing I did when I heard about this Covid case was to go and stock up on corticosteroids, oral and for the nebulizer.. I thought it would be standard practice to use this or similar medication when it hits the chest or am I missing some big secret here, why this is such a big 'break through'?

00pump wrote:

LesDoctor wrote: Dexamethasone is commonly used in hospital for things like spinal compression secondary to metastasis, ARDS etc.

It has shown in it's trials to decrease mortality in 1/3 of the severe cases of COVID.

It is in fact immunosuppresive. (All corticosteroids are). So why use it for viral infections? Because what kills in viral infections is the body's own response to the virus mediated by inflammatory pathways. Coricosteroids decrease this response.

I'm not that impressed that we only here with things, the first thing I did when I heard about this Covid case was to go and stock up on corticosteroids, oral and for the nebulizer.. I thought it would be standard practice to use this or similar medication when it hits the chest or am I missing some big secret here, why this is such a big 'break through'?

I had the exact same question that I posed to my head of unit this morning and apparently they have been using dexamethasone at our ICU since the first severe case was presented. I think its just gained attention due to the new RCT that was released by oxford.