Description and Brand Names

Drug information provided by: Merative, Micromedex®

US Brand Name

  1. A-Hydrocort
  2. SoluCORTEF

Descriptions


Hydrocortisone is used to treat certain medical conditions, such as inflammation (swelling), severe allergic reactions, kidney diseases, adrenal problems, arthritis, blood or bone marrow problems, eye or vision problems, lung or breathing problems (eg, asthma), lupus, skin conditions, and ulcerative colitis.

Hydrocortisone is a corticosteroid (cortisone-like medicine or steroid). It works on the immune system to help relieve swelling, redness, itching, and allergic reactions.

This medicine is to be given only by or under the supervision of a doctor.

This product is available in the following dosage forms:

  • Powder for Solution
  • Solution

Before Using

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For this medicine, the following should be considered:

Allergies

Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.

Pediatric

Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated pediatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of hydrocortisone injection in children older than 1 month of age. However, safety and efficacy have not been established in children 1 month of age and younger.

Geriatric

Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated geriatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of hydrocortisone injection in the elderly. However, elderly patients are more likely to have age-related liver, kidney, or heart problems, which may require caution in the dose for patients receiving this medicine.

Breastfeeding

There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding.

Drug Interactions

Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are receiving this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medication or change some of the other medicines you take.

  • Desmopressin
  • Rotavirus Vaccine, Live

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

  • Abametapir
  • Aldesleukin
  • Aspirin
  • Atazanavir
  • Balofloxacin
  • Bemiparin
  • Besifloxacin
  • Bupropion
  • Carbamazepine
  • Ciprofloxacin
  • Clarithromycin
  • Cobicistat
  • Conivaptan
  • Cosyntropin
  • Darunavir
  • Enoxacin
  • Fedratinib
  • Fexinidazole
  • Fleroxacin
  • Flumequine
  • Fosnetupitant
  • Gatifloxacin
  • Gemifloxacin
  • Itraconazole
  • Lenacapavir
  • Levofloxacin
  • Lomefloxacin
  • Lutetium Lu 177 Dotatate
  • Macimorelin
  • Mavacamten
  • Moxifloxacin
  • Nadifloxacin
  • Nadroparin
  • Netupitant
  • Norfloxacin
  • Ofloxacin
  • Omaveloxolone
  • Pazufloxacin
  • Pefloxacin
  • Phenobarbital
  • Primidone
  • Prulifloxacin
  • Rufloxacin
  • Sargramostim
  • Somatrogon-ghla
  • Sparfloxacin
  • Tosufloxacin

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

  • Alcuronium
  • Atracurium
  • Auranofin
  • Colestipol
  • Gallamine
  • Hexafluorenium
  • Licorice
  • Metocurine
  • Rifapentine
  • Saiboku-To

Other Interactions

Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. Discuss with your healthcare professional the use of your medicine with food, alcohol, or tobacco.

Other Medical Problems

The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

  • Bleeding problem (eg, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura) or
  • Fungal infections—Should not be given in patients with these conditions.
  • Cancer (eg, blood cancer, solid tumor) or
  • Cataracts or
  • Congestive heart failure or
  • Cushing's syndrome (adrenal gland problem) or
  • Diabetes or
  • Eye infection (eg, herpes infection of the eyes) or
  • Glaucoma or
  • Hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) or
  • Hypertension (high blood pressure) or
  • Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) or
  • Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) or
  • Infection (eg, bacteria, virus) or
  • Infestation (eg, worm, larva) or
  • Kidney disease or
  • Liver disease (including cirrhosis) or
  • Mental health problems, history of or
  • Mood changes, including depression or
  • Myasthenia gravis (severe muscle weakness) or
  • Osteoporosis (weak bones) or
  • Peptic ulcer, active or history of or
  • Pheochromocytoma (adrenal tumor) or
  • Stomach or intestinal problems (eg, diverticulitis, ulcerative colitis) or
  • Tuberculosis, inactive or
  • Weak immune system (eg, Kaposi sarcoma)—Use with caution. May make these conditions worse.

Proper Use

A doctor or other trained health professional will give you this medicine in a hospital. This medicine is given through a needle placed in a vein or as a shot into a muscle.

Precautions

It is very important that your doctor check the progress of you or your child closely while you are receiving this medicine to make sure that this medicine is working properly. Blood and urine tests may be needed to check for unwanted effects.

This medicine may cause serious allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, which can be life-threatening and require immediate medical attention. Call your doctor right away if you have a rash, itching, trouble breathing, trouble swallowing, or any swelling of your hands, face, or mouth while you are using this medicine.

Using too much of this medicine or using it for a long time may increase your risk of having adrenal gland problems. Talk to your doctor right away if you have more than one of these symptoms while you are using this medicine: blurred vision, dizziness or fainting, a fast, irregular, or pounding heartbeat, increased thirst or urination, irritability, or unusual tiredness or weakness.

This medicine may cause you to get more infections than usual. Avoid people who are sick or have infections and wash your hands often. If you are exposed to chickenpox or measles, tell your doctor right away. If you start to have fever, chills, sore throat, or any other signs of an infection, call your doctor right away.

If you are using this medicine for a long time, tell your doctor about any extra stress or anxiety in your life, including other health concerns and emotional stress. Your dose of this medicine might need to be changed for a short time while you have extra stress.

This medicine may increase your risk of having broken bones (fractures) or slow growth in children if used for a long time. Tell your doctor if you have any bone pain or if you have an increased risk for osteoporosis. If your child is using this medicine, tell the doctor if you think your child is not growing properly.

Check with your doctor right away if blurred vision, difficulty in reading, eye pain, or any other change in vision occurs during or after treatment. Your doctor may want you to have your eyes checked by an ophthalmologist (eye doctor).

While you are being treated with hydrocortisone, do not have any immunizations (vaccines) without your doctor's approval. Hydrocortisone may lower your body's resistance and the vaccine may not work as well or you might get the infection the vaccine is meant to prevent. In addition, you should not be around other persons living in your household who receive live virus vaccines because there is a chance they could pass the virus on to you. Some examples of live vaccines include measles, mumps, influenza (nasal flu vaccine), poliovirus (oral form), rotavirus, and rubella. Do not get close to them and do not stay in the same room with them for very long. If you have questions about this, talk to your doctor.

This medicine may cause changes in mood or behavior for some patients. Tell your doctor right away if you have depression, mood swings, a false or unusual sense of well-being, trouble with sleeping, or personality changes while using this medicine.

Check with your doctor right away if you feel muscle pain, tenderness, and an increase in muscle weakness while using this medicine.

This medicine may cause a serious type of reaction called tumor lysis syndrome. Call your doctor right away if you have a decrease or change in the amount of urine you pass, joint pain, stiffness, or swelling, lower back, side, or stomach pain, rapid weight gain, swelling of the feet or lower legs, or unusual tiredness or weakness.

Make sure any doctor or dentist who treats you knows that you are using this medicine. This medicine may affect the results of certain skin tests.

Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines and herbal or vitamin supplements.

Side Effects

Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor or nurse immediately if any of the following side effects occur:

Incidence not known

  1. Acne
  2. back pain
  3. bloody or black tarry stools
  4. bone pain, tenderness, or aching
  5. chest pain, discomfort, or tightness
  6. chills
  7. cough
  8. darkening or lightening of skin color
  9. discouragement
  10. eye pain and blurred vision
  11. facial hair growth in females
  12. fast, pounding, or irregular heartbeat or pulse
  13. fast, slow, or irregular breathing
  14. feeling sad or empty
  15. fever
  16. fractures
  17. full or round face, neck, or trunk
  18. general feeling of illness
  19. headache
  20. heartburn, indigestion
  21. increased appetite
  22. increased fat deposits on the face, neck, and trunk
  23. increased hair growth on the face, forehead, back, arms, and legs
  24. increased sweating, thirst, urination
  25. irritability
  26. itching
  27. joint pain, stiffness, or swelling
  28. lightheadedness, dizziness, or fainting
  29. loss of appetite
  30. loss of interest or pleasure
  31. loss of sexual desire or ability
  32. lower back or side pain
  33. menstrual irregularities
  34. muscle wasting and weakness
  35. seizures
  36. severe and continuing nausea
  37. skin rash
  38. slow wound healing
  39. sore throat
  40. stomach pain and cramping
  41. swelling of the eyes or eyelids
  42. swelling of the feet or lower legs
  43. thinning of the scalp hair
  44. trouble concentrating
  45. trouble in breathing
  46. unusual tiredness or weakness
  47. unusual weight loss
  48. vomit that looks like coffee grounds

Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Portions of this document last updated: April 01, 2024

Original article: https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/hydrocortisone-injection-route/proper-use/drg-20406236