Dexamethasone oral tablet is a generic drug that’s prescribed for many conditions, including allergic reactions and inflammation. Dexamethasone belongs to a class of drugs called corticosteroids (also referred to as steroids).

  1. Dexamethasone oral tablet is available as both a generic and brand-name drug. Brand names: Hemady, Dexabliss, TaperDex.
  2. In addition to the oral tablet form, dexamethasone comes as an oral solution and eye drops. It’s also available as an injectable solution, intraocular (inside the eye) implant, and intraocular solution given after surgery. A healthcare professional administers these last three forms.
  3. Dexamethasone oral tablet is used to treat many conditions. These include inflammation, allergic reactions, flare-ups of ulcerative colitis, and adrenal insufficiency.

Dexamethasone is a prescription medication. It’s available as an oral tablet, oral solution, and eye drops. It’s also available as an injectable solution, intraocular (inside the eye) implant, and an intraocular solution given after surgery. A healthcare professional administers these last three forms.

This article covers only the oral tablet form. For information about the other forms of dexamethasone, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

The dexamethasone tablet is available as the brand-name drugs Hemady, Dexabliss, and TaperDex. It’s also available as a generic drug. Generic drugs usually cost less than the brand-name version. In some cases, they may not be available in all strengths or forms as the brand-name drug.

Why it’s used

The dexamethasone oral tablet is used to treat inflammation and conditions that cause it, conditions related to immune system activity, and hormone deficiency. These conditions include:

In addition, dexamethasone is used as a pretreatment for chemotherapy to reduce inflammation and side effects.

Note that Hemady, a brand-name version of dexamethasone oral tablet, is used only to treat multiple myeloma (a cancer that affects certain white blood cells) in combination with other drugs. Dexabliss and TaperDex are used to treat the same conditions as generic dexamethasone.

How it works

Dexamethasone belongs to a class of drugs called corticosteroids, also referred to as steroids. Corticosteroids are often used to treat similar conditions.

  • For conditions with inflammation: With certain conditions, inflammation can cause the immune system to be overactive. This can damage the body’s tissues. Steroids such as dexamethasone help block the immune system’s response to inflammation, which helps prevent this damage.
  • For conditions related to immune system activity: Some conditions are caused by immune system problems. Steroids such as dexamethasone suppress (decrease) immune system activity, which helps ease symptoms of such conditions.
  • For adrenal insufficiency: The adrenal gland helps control certain bodily functions. These functions include managing blood glucose, defending against infection, and managing stress. In people with adrenal insufficiency, the adrenal gland releases lower amounts of certain hormones. Dexamethasone helps replace these hormones.

How quickly does dexamethasone work?

Dexamethasone should start working soon after you take a dose. The oral tablet can take as little as 30 minutes up to about 4 hours to reach maximum levels in the bloodstream.

However, how soon your symptoms start to go away depends on the condition you’re taking the drug to treat. For example, dexamethasone may decrease symptoms of an acute (sudden) condition, such as allergic reaction, relatively quickly. For chronic (long-term) conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, symptom relief will take somewhat longer.

For information about how quickly dexamethasone may work to improve your condition, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

FOUND EFFECTIVE FOR TREATING COVID-19

Oxford University’s RECOVERY clinical trial has found that low dose dexamethasone increases the chance of survival in people with COVID-19 who require respiratory support.

In the study, the drug reduced the number of deaths by one-third for people on ventilators, and by one-fifth for people on oxygen. There was no benefit found for people who didn’t require respiratory support. You should not use this medication to treat COVID-19 unless your doctor recommends that you do so. If you have questions about the use of dexamethasone for COVID-19, talk with your doctor.

For information on how to prepare, advice on prevention and treatment, and expert recommendations, visit our COVID-19 hub.

Dexamethasone can cause mild or serious side effects. The following list contains some of the key side effects that may occur while taking dexamethasone. This list does not include all possible side effects.

For more information on the possible side effects of dexamethasone, or tips on how to manage a bothersome side effect, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

More common side effects

The more common side effects that can occur with corticosteroids such as dexamethasone oral tablets include:

If these effects are mild, they may go away within a few days or a couple of weeks. If they’re more severe or don’t go away, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Serious side effects

Call your doctor right away if you have serious side effects. Call 911 if your symptoms feel life threatening or if you think you’re having a medical emergency. Serious side effects and their symptoms can include the following:

Dexamethasone can interact with several other medications. Different interactions can cause different effects. For instance, some can interfere with how well a drug works, while others can cause increased side effects.

This section includes examples of medications that can interact with dexamethasone. This list does not contain all drugs that may interact with dexamethasone.

Before taking dexamethasone, be sure to tell your doctor and pharmacist about all prescription, over-the-counter, and other drugs you take. Also tell them about any vitamins, herbs, and supplements you use. Sharing this information can help you avoid potential interactions.

If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Antibiotic

Erythromycin (Ery-Ped) is used to treat infections caused by bacteria. When used with dexamethasone, this drug can increase the amount of dexamethasone in your body. This raises your risk of side effects.

Antifungal drugs

When used with dexamethasone, certain drugs used to treat fungal infections can increase the level of dexamethasone in your blood. This can raise your risk of side effects. Examples of these drugs include:

  • ketoconazole
  • itraconazole (Sporanox)
  • posaconazole (Noxafil)
  • voriconazole (Vfend)

Amphotericin B (Ambisome) is another drug used to treat fungal infections. Using this drug with dexamethasone raises your risk of low potassium levels. (Potassium is a mineral that helps your nerves, muscles, and organs function.) This can cause muscle cramps, weakness, tiredness, and an irregular heartbeat.

Blood thinners

Using dexamethasone with certain blood thinners can decrease the levels of these drugs in your body. This can make them less effective and raise your risk of blood clots or stroke. Examples of these drugs include:

Warfarin (Jantoven) is also used to thin the blood. Using dexamethasone with this drug may result in changes to your risk of bleeding. Your doctor may need to monitor you closely if you take warfarin with dexamethasone.

Cholesterol drugs

If you take dexamethasone with certain drugs used to lower cholesterol, it can keep your body from absorbing dexamethasone well. This could keep dexamethasone from working well. Examples of these drugs include:

Diabetes drugs

Dexamethasone may increase your blood sugar, although this is rare. If you take diabetes drugs, your doctor may need to change your dose while you’re taking dexamethasone. Examples of these drugs include:

  • amylin analogs, such as pramlintide (Symlin)
  • biguanides, such as metformin (Glumetza)
  • GLP-1 agonists, such as exenatide (Byetta)
  • DPP4 inhibitors, such as linagliptin (Tradjenta)
  • meglitinides, such as nateglinide
  • sulfonylureas, such as glimepiride (Amaryl)
  • SGLT-2 inhibitors, such as canagliflozin (Invokana)
  • thiazolidinediones, such as pioglitazone (Actos)

Diuretics (water pills)

When used with dexamethasone, diuretics reduce your body’s potassium levels. This can cause muscle cramps, weakness, tiredness, and an irregular heartbeat. Examples of these drugs include:

Epilepsy drugs

When used with dexamethasone, certain drugs used to treat epilepsy can lower the level of dexamethasone in your blood. This can keep dexamethasone from working well. Examples of these drugs include:

  • phenytoin (Dilantin)
  • fosphenytoin (Cerebyx)
  • phenobarbital (Sezaby)
  • carbamazepine (Tegretol)

Heart drug

Digoxin (Lanoxin) is used to treat heart rhythm problems or heart failure. Taking this drug with dexamethasone could increase your risk of irregular heartbeats caused by low potassium levels.

Hormones

Taking certain hormones with dexamethasone can cause decreased levels of these hormones in your body. Your doctor may have to adjust your dose of either dexamethasone or the hormone medications. Examples of these drugs include:

HIV drugs

Taking certain drugs used to treat HIV with dexamethasone can potentially reduce the levels of these drugs in your body, although it’s rare. This means they may not work as well, and your body may stop responding to your HIV medications. Your doctor may avoid the use of these drugs with dexamethasone. Examples of these drugs include:

  • protease inhibitors, such as atazanavir (Reyataz)
  • non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, such as etravirine (Intelence)
  • entry inhibitors, such as maraviroc (Selzentry)
  • integrase inhibitors, such as elvitegravir

NSAIDs

Using nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) with dexamethasone raises your risk of stomach ulcers or bleeding. Talk with your doctor about whether you can take these drugs together. Examples of NSAIDs include:

Note: Like other NSAIDs, aspirin is often used to treat pain. However, people also take it to thin the blood, which helps reduce the risk of a heart attack. Dexamethasone can decrease aspirin levels. This can make aspirin less effective and increase your risk of a heart attack.

Tuberculosis drugs

When used with dexamethasone, certain drugs used to treat tuberculosis (TB) can lower the level of dexamethasone in your blood. This can keep dexamethasone from working well. Examples of these drugs include:

  • rifampin (Rifadin IV)
  • rifabutin (Mycobutin)
  • rifapentine (Priftin)

Isoniazid, another TB drug, also interacts with dexamethasone. However, dexamethasone can lower levels of this drug. This can keep isoniazid from working well.

Vaccines

Avoid getting live vaccines when taking dexamethasone. With live vaccines, you’re injected with a small amount of a virus or bacterium so your body can learn to build an immune response against it.

You should not get live vaccines while using dexamethasone because the drug weakens your immune system. If this happens, your body will not be able to properly defend against the vaccine, and it may make you sick.

Live vaccines you should avoid while taking dexamethasone include:

Other drugs

Thalidomide (Thalomid) is used to treat skin lesions and multiple myeloma. Combining it with dexamethasone can cause toxic epidermal necrolysis, a skin condition that can be life threatening. If your doctor prescribes both dexamethasone and thalidomide for you, they will be cautious about the effects the combination can cause.

Cyclosporine (Sandimmune) is used to prevent organ rejection in people who receive a transplant, as well as to treat rheumatoid arthritis or psoriasis. Taking this drug with dexamethasone could increase the risk that your immune system will be suppressed (weakened). This would raise your risk of infection.

Seizures have also been reported when cyclosporine and dexamethasone are used together.

As with all medications, the cost of dexamethasone can vary. The actual price you’ll pay depends on your insurance plan, your location, and the pharmacy you use.

Drug coupons: You can visit Optum Perks for price estimates of dexamethasone. These estimates are based on the use of Optum Perks coupons. Note: Optum Perks coupons cannot be used with any insurance copays or benefits.

Financial and insurance assistance: If you need financial support to pay for dexamethasone, or if you need help understanding your insurance coverage, help is available.

Consider looking into websites that offer cost resources and information. Two such organizations are Medicine Assistance Tool and NeedyMeds.

For tips that can lower the cost of your medications, see this article about saving money on prescriptions.

The dexamethasone dosage your doctor prescribes will depend on several factors. These include:

  • the type and severity of the condition you’re using dexamethasone to treat
  • your age
  • the form of dexamethasone you take
  • other medical conditions you may have

Typically, your doctor will start you on a low dosage and adjust it over time to reach the dosage that’s right for you. They’ll ultimately prescribe the smallest dosage that provides the desired effect.

The following information describes dosages that are commonly used or recommended for dexamethasone oral tablet. However, be sure to take the dosage your doctor prescribes for you. Your doctor will determine the best dosage to suit your needs.

Dosage for inflammation and other conditions

Generic: dexamethasone

  • Form: oral tablet
  • Strengths: 0.5 mg, 0.75 mg, 1 mg, 1.5 mg, 2 mg, 4 mg, and 6 mg

Brand: Hemady

  • Form: oral tablet
  • Strength: 20 mg

Brand: Dexabliss

  • Form: oral tablet (comes in a 39-tablet dose pack)
  • Strength: 1.5 mg

Brand: TaperDex

  • Form: oral tablet (comes in a 6-day, 7-day, or 12-day dose pack)
  • Strength: 1.5 mg

Adult dosage (ages 18 years and older)

Typical dosage: 0.75 to 9 mg every day, depending on the condition being treated.

Child dosage (ages 0 to 17 years)

Initial dosage: A doctor or healthcare professional will calculate the dosage based on the child’s weight. The recommended dosage is 0.02 to 0.3 mg per kilogram (kg) of body weight per day, taken in three or four divided doses. (For reference, 1 kg is about 2.2 pounds.) The dosage depends on the condition being treated.

Older adult dosage (ages 65 years and older)

The kidneys and liver of older adults may not work as well as they used to. This can cause the body to process drugs more slowly. As a result, more of a drug stays in the body for a longer time. This raises the risk of side effects.

If you’re an older adult, your doctor may start you on a lowered dose or a different dosing schedule. This can help keep levels of this drug from building up too much in your body.

Special dosage considerations

When stopping treatment, your dosage should be decreased slowly over time, a process known as a steroid taper. This helps to prevent withdrawal side effects. Withdrawal can occur when you suddenly stop taking a drug that your body has become dependent on. (With dependence, your body becomes used to a drug and needs it to function as usual.)

This drug comes with several warnings.

Heart damage

If you’ve recently had a heart attack, you may be at increased risk of further heart damage from this drug. Before starting this drug, be sure your doctor knows you’ve had a heart attack.

Infection

Dexamethasone can mask (hide symptoms) or worsen certain infections. In addition, infections can develop during treatment. You should not take this drug if you have fungal infections or a history of parasite infections or tuberculosis. Tell your doctor about any past illnesses or infections.

Eye problems

Using dexamethasone for long periods can lead to eye problems such as cataracts or glaucoma. The drug may also cause damage to the optic nerves and fungal or viral eye infections.

Measles or chickenpox

Tell your doctor if you have not had chickenpox or measles, or if you have not had the vaccines to prevent them. You could have more serious versions of these illnesses if you have them while taking dexamethasone.

Allergies

Dexamethasone can cause an allergic reaction, though this is rare. Symptoms can include:

Symptoms of a severe allergic reaction also include:

If you have an allergic reaction, call your doctor right away. You can also call America’s Poison Centers at 800-222-1222 or use its online tool. However, if your symptoms are severe, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.

You should not take this drug again if you’ve ever had an allergic reaction to it. Taking it again could be fatal.

For people with certain health conditions

For people with infections: Dexamethasone may make a systemic fungal infection worse. (Systemic means it affects the whole body, not just one part.) You should not use this drug if you’re taking medication to treat a systemic fungal infection. Also, dexamethasone may hide the symptoms of a nonfungal infection.

For people with congestive heart failure: Dexamethasone can increase sodium levels, edema (swelling), and potassium loss. This can make heart failure worse. If you have this condition, talk with your doctor about whether dexamethasone is safe for you before starting treatment.

For people with high blood pressure: Dexamethasone can increase sodium levels and edema (swelling). This can increase your blood pressure. Before taking this drug, talk with your doctor about whether it’s safe for you.

For people with peptic ulcers: Dexamethasone can increase the risk of stomach or intestinal bleeding and ulcers. If you have peptic ulcers or other conditions in the intestines, talk with your doctor about whether this drug is safe for you. Conditions of the intestines include diverticulitis and ulcerative colitis.

For people with osteoporosis: Corticosteroids (also referred to as steroids) such as dexamethasone decrease bone formation. It also increases bone resorption (breakdown of bone). As a result, it raises the risk of osteoporosis (bone thinning) with long-term use. The risk is higher for people already at an increased risk of osteoporosis, such as those who have gone through menopause.

For people with hyperthyroidism: In people with hyperthyroidism, this drug is removed from the body more quickly than usual. Your doctor may adjust your dose of this drug based on your condition.

For people with eye problems: Long-term use of dexamethasone may cause eye problems such as cataracts, glaucoma, or increased pressure in the eye. Your risk is higher if you already have eye problems.

For people with tuberculosis: If you have latent tuberculosis or tuberculin reactivity, dexamethasone can reactivate the disease. If you test positive for tuberculosis, talk with your doctor about whether taking this drug is safe for you.

For people with a recent history of heart attack: If you’ve recently had a heart attack, the use of dexamethasone may lead to a tear in your heart muscle. Before you start this drug, be sure your doctor knows you’ve had a recent heart attack.

For people with diabetes: Dexamethasone can increase blood sugar levels. As a result, your doctor may change the dose of drugs for your diabetes.

For people with myasthenia gravis: If you have myasthenia gravis, taking dexamethasone with certain drugs used to treat Alzheimer’s disease can cause severe weakness. Examples of these drugs include:

  • rivastigmine (Exelon)
  • donepezil (Aricept)

If possible, wait at least 24 hours after taking these drugs to start dexamethasone therapy.

For pregnant people

Talk with your doctor if you’re pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Animal research has found the drug can cause fetal harm when given to pregnant animals. However, there haven’t been enough studies done to determine how the drug might affect human fetuses. This drug should only be taken if the potential benefit outweighs the potential risk.

For people who are breastfeeding

Dexamethasone is not recommended for people who are breastfeeding. The drug can pass to a child through breast milk and may cause side effects.

For older adults

The kidneys and liver of older adults may not work as well as they used to. This can cause the body to process drugs more slowly. As a result, more of a drug stays in the body for a longer time. This raises the risk of side effects.

When to call your doctor

Call your doctor right away if you develop a new or worsened illness or symptoms while taking dexamethasone, including fever. Also, call your doctor right away if you become pregnant while taking this drug.

Dexamethasone oral tablets are most often used for long-term treatment but can also be used for short-term treatment. They come with serious risks if you do not take them as prescribed.

If you stop taking the drug suddenly or do not take it at all

If you do not take the drug at all, your condition will not be managed. If you stop taking dexamethasone suddenly, you may have withdrawal side effects. These can include:

  • tiredness
  • fever
  • muscle aches
  • joint pain

Your dosage should be decreased over time to avoid withdrawal effects. Do not stop taking dexamethasone unless your doctor tells you to do so.

If you miss doses or do not take the drug on schedule

Your medication may not work as well or may stop working completely. For this drug to work well, a certain amount needs to be in your body at all times.

If you take too much

You could have dangerous levels of the drug in your body. Symptoms of an overdose of this drug can include:

  • irregular heartbeats
  • seizures
  • severe allergic reaction, with difficulty breathing, hives, or swelling of your throat or tongue

If you think you’ve taken too much of this drug, call your doctor right away. You can also call America’s Poison Centers at 800-222-1222 or use its online tool. However, if your symptoms are severe, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.

What to do if you miss a dose

If you miss a dose, wait and take the next dose as planned. Do not double your dose. This could result in dangerous side effects.

How to tell whether the drug is working

The symptoms of your condition should be reduced.

Keep these considerations in mind if your doctor prescribes dexamethasone for you.

General

  • Take this drug at the time(s) recommended by your doctor.
  • You can cut or crush the tablet.

Storage

  • Keep dexamethasone tablets at room temperature between 68°F and 77°F (20°C and 25°C).
  • You should not store this medication in moist or damp areas, such as bathrooms.

Refills

A prescription for this medication is refillable. You should not need a new prescription for this medication to be refilled. Your doctor will write the number of refills authorized on your prescription.

Travel

When traveling with your medication:

  • Always carry your medication with you. When flying, never put it into a checked bag. Keep it in your carry-on bag.
  • You do not need to worry about airport X-ray machines. They can’t hurt your medication.
  • You may need to show airport staff the pharmacy label for your medication. Always carry the original prescription-labeled box with you.
  • You should not put this medication in your car’s glove compartment or leave it in the car. Be sure to avoid doing this when the weather is very hot or very cold.

Clinical monitoring

Your doctor will monitor you during treatment with this drug. They may do tests to check for side effects from long-term use of dexamethasone. These tests may include:

The cost of these tests will depend on your insurance.

There are other drugs available to treat your condition. Some may be better suited for you than others. Talk with your doctor about other drug options that may work for you.

Disclaimer: Medical News Today has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up-to-date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.

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