| Choice | Drug | Dosage |
|---|---|---|
| 1st choice (oral) | Prednisolone tablets 1mg, 5mg Note: Soluble tablets are high cost | Dose: See BNF and Prescribing Notes below |
| 1st choice (parenteral) | Intramuscular depot injection: methylprednisolone acetate (Depo-Medrone®\) vials 40mg/mL, 80mg/2mL, 120mg/3mL | Dose: By deep intramuscular injection into gluteal muscle, 40–120mg Dosage must be individualised and depends on the condition being treated and its severity. Deep intramuscular injection reduces the risk of steroid atrophy to skin |
| Or | ||
| Intramuscular injection: triamcinolone acetonide 40mg/mL (Kenalog® Intra-articular/Intramuscular) | Dose: By deep intramuscular injection into gluteal muscle, 40mg. Repeat at intervals according to the patient’s response; maximum single dose 80mg. Deep intramuscular injection reduces the risk of steroid atrophy to skin | |
| Or | ||
| Intravenous injection: methylprednisolone (as sodium succinate) (Solu-Medrone®) vials 40mg, 125mg, 500mg, 1g, 2g: slow intravenous injection or infusion | Dose: initially 40–500mg |
Prescribing Notes
See Section 6.3.2 Glucocorticoid therapy