Role of corticosteroids in palliative care

• Published in: Journal of pain & palliative care pharmacotherapy Vol. 21; no. 4; p. 69
• Main Authors: Shih, Allen, Jackson, 2nd, Kenneth C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 2007
• Subjects: Anorexia - drug therapy; Anorexia - etiology; Cachexia - drug therapy; Cachexia - etiology; Constipation - drug therapy; Depression - complications; Depression - drug therapy; Dexamethasone - administration & dosage; Dexamethasone - adverse effects; Dexamethasone - therapeutic use; Fatigue - drug therapy; Fatigue - etiology; Glucocorticoids - administration & dosage; Glucocorticoids - adverse effects; Glucocorticoids - therapeutic use; Humans; Intestinal Obstruction - drug therapy; Nausea - drug therapy; Nausea - etiology; Neoplasm Metastasis; Neoplasms - complications; Neoplasms - pathology; Neoplasms - physiopathology; Pain - drug therapy; Pain - etiology; Palliative Care - methods; Spinal Cord Compression - drug therapy; Vomiting - etiology; Vomiting - prevention & control
• ISSN: 1536-0288
• DOI: 10.1080/J354v21n04_14

Corticosteroids have been used extensively since cortisone was first synthesized in the 1950s. Glucocorticoids are derived from cortisone and are used in treatments for inflammation, dermatitis, allergic reactions, asthma, hepatitis, lupus erythematosus, nausea, vomiting and inflammatory bowel diseases. In the setting of palliative care, glucocorticoids have many uses, including many symptoms of malignancy, nausea, vomiting, depression, fatigue, anorexia and cachexia.