Question

Discuss the clinical uses and potential adverse effect of corticosteroids. As a nurse how will you provide care for a patient on steroid therapy.

Answer 1

Corticosteroids: It is a class of steroid hormones. It is man-mae or produced by the body. The examples are Glucocorticoids and mineralocorticoid. It helps to manipulate the psychological processes like stress response, regulating the inflammation, blood electrolyte level, and immune response. It also helps to treat lupus and asthma. Clinical uses of corticosteroids include administration of them in pregnant women expecting preterm delivery i.e. antenatal administration. This is reported to lead to the decreased mortality and a decreased incidence of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). Inhaled corticosteroids act as the anti-inflammatory therapy of choice in adult asthma.

The adverse effects of corticosteroids are as follows:

1. High blood pressure (hypertension)

2. Weigh gain or swelling in the legs.

3. Facial hair growth.

6. Amdety, nervousness.

5. The hump on the back is also known as a buffalo hump.

6. Thinning of the skin which makes the skin fragile.

As a nurse, I will provide care for a patient on steroid by monitoring the dosage and adverse effects regularly and recording the vitals of the patient. In case of severe adverse effects stopping the administration.