Medrol – what is it used for?

Medrol (methylprednisolone) is a synthetic corticosteroid. It is a drug that mimics the effects of cortisol, a stress hormone produced by the adrenal glands.

Methylprednisolone works by reducing inflammation and modifying the body’s immune response. It reduces the production of inflammatory cytokines and suppresses the migration of immune cells to sites of inflammation. This helps relieve the symptoms of inflammation – swelling, redness and pain. By suppressing the activity of the immune system, Medrol helps deal with autoimmune diseases and prevents organ rejection in transplant patients.

Medrol can be administered orally in tablet form or intravenously. The dosage and duration of therapy depend on the specific condition being treated, the severity of the condition, and the patient’s response to the medication.

What is Medrol used for ?

This medicine is used to treat many conditions:

Rheumatic diseases

Corticosteroids are usually prescribed for patients with rheumatoid arthritis where inflammation is severe and symptoms cannot be controlled with NSAIDs. Through corticosteroids, the so-called bridge therapy. A disease-modifying medication is also prescribed, the effect of which occurs later (after 3-5 months). When its effect appears, the corticosteroid is gradually stopped.

Medrol is also used to treat:

• ankylosing spondylitis (Bechterev’s disease)
• psoriatic arthritis
• acute gouty arthritis
• post-traumatic osteoarthritis
• acute and subacute bursitis
• epicondylitis
• acute nonspecific tenosynovitis.

Collagenoses

Methylprednisolone is administered during an exacerbation or as maintenance therapy in:

• systemic lupus erythematosus
• systemic dermatomyositis (polymyositis)
• giant cell arteritis
• acute rheumatic carditis.

Dermatological diseases

• pemphigus
• bullous dermatitis herpetiformis
• severe psoriasis
• severe form of erythema multiforme (Stevens-Johnson syndrome)
• severe seborrheic dermatitis
• exfoliative dermatitis
• mycosis fungoides.

Allergic conditions

Medrol is used in severe allergic conditions, unresponsive to other anti-allergic medications:

• serum sickness
• Drug allergy
• contact dermatitis
• bronchial asthma
• allergic rhinitis
• atopic dermatitis.

Respiratory diseases

• pulmonary sarcoidosis
• progressive or rapidly spreading pulmonary tuberculosis during simultaneous treatment with antituberculosis agents
• Leoffler’s syndrome, when it does not respond to other means
• aspiration pneumonitis

Hematological disorders

• idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura
• secondary thrombocytopenia in adults
• congenital aplastic anemia
• autoimmune hemolytic anemia.

Eye diseases

Severe acute and chronic allergic and inflammatory processes affecting the eye such as:

• allergic marginal corneal ulcers
• allergic conjunctivitis
• herpes zoster ophthalmicus
• keratitis
• chorioretinitis
• diffuse posterior uveitis
• optic neuritis
• iritis and iridocyclitis.

Neoplastic diseases

For palliative treatment in:

• leukemias and lymphomas in adults
• acute childhood leukemia.

Kidney diseases

• nephrotic syndrome – Medrol is useful in the treatment of nephrotic syndrome, idiopathic or secondary to lupus nephritis.

Gastrointestinal diseases

Methylprednisolone is used to treat:

• a severe form of ulcerative colitis
• regional enteritis.

Neurological diseases

• acute exacerbation of multiple sclerosis
• cerebral edema associated with a brain tumor or head trauma.

Endocrine disorders

In endocrinology, it is used to treat:

• congenital adrenal hyperplasia
• cancer-related hypercalcemia
• primary or secondary adrenocortical insufficiency.

Transplantation of organs

Medrol helps prevent organ rejection in transplant patients by suppressing the immune response.