Budesonide: functions, dosage, side effects, how to use it

What Drug Budesonide?

Budesonide for what?

Budesonide is a medication to treat certain intestinal diseases (such as Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis). Budesonide doesn't cure the disease, but it can relieve some of the symptoms - such as pain and diarrhea. Budesonide is an anti-inflammatory drug that contains corticosteroid hormones. This drug works by decreasing the body's immune response.

Budesonide dosage and side effects of budesonide are detailed below.

How to use Budesonide?

Follow the rules given by your doctor or pharmacist before starting treatment. If you have any questions, consult your doctor or pharmacist.

Read the patient information leaflet provided by your pharmacist before starting to use budesonide and each time you get a refill. If you have any questions, consult your doctor or pharmacist.

Take this medication with or without food as directed by your doctor, usually once a day in the morning. Usually, the way to take the drug budesonide is with a full glass of mineral water (240 milliliters) unless your doctor advises otherwise. Swallow this drug completely. Do not crush or chew it. Doing so will release the drug into the body at once and can increase the risk of side effects. When you use a tablet extended release (prolonged release), do not split the tablet unless there is a dividing line and your doctor or pharmacist has advised. Swallow the tablet whole or split it without crushing or chewing it.

The dosage and duration of treatment are given based on the medical condition and response to treatment.

The prohibition that must be done when using the drug budesonide is to avoid eating grapefruit during treatment with this drug unless the doctor instructs otherwise. Grapefruit can increase the amount of certain drugs in the body. Consult your doctor or pharmacist for more details.

If you are taking other corticosteroids regularly (such as prednisone) you do not need to stop using them unless advised by your doctor. Some conditions (such as asthma, allergies) can get worse when the use of this drug is stopped suddenly. You can experience withdrawal symptoms if the use of this drug is stopped suddenly. To prevent withdrawal symptoms (such as weakness, weight loss, nausea, muscle aches, headaches, fatigue, dizziness), your doctor will slowly decrease the dose of your old medication while you are taking budesonide. Consult your doctor or pharmacist for more details, and report immediately if symptoms occur (withdrawal). See the section on prevention.

Take this medicine regularly and exactly as recommended to get maximum results. To help you remember, use it at the same time each day. Do not increase the dose, increase the frequency, or use it for longer than recommended as this can increase the risk of serious side effects.

Do not stop using this drug without consulting your doctor. Some conditions can get worse when the drug is stopped suddenly. Your dose will be gradually lowered.

How to store Budesonide?

This medication is best stored at room temperature, away from direct light and damp places. Don't keep it in the bathroom. Don't freeze it. Other brands of this drug may have different storage rules. Observe the storage instructions on the product package or ask your pharmacist. Keep all medicines away from children and pets.

Do not flush medicines down the toilet or down the drain unless instructed to do so. Discard this product when it has expired or when it is no longer needed. Consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal company about how to safely dispose of your product.

Rules of Use Budesonide

The information provided is not a substitute for medical advice. ALWAYS consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting treatment.

What is the Budesonide dosage for adults?

Standard adult dosage with acute Crohn's disease

For acute Chron's disease, 9 mg of budesonide is taken orally once a day in the morning for 8 weeks. This treatment can be reduced to 6 mg daily for 2 weeks before using the drug is finished.

Meanwhile, for relapsing episodes of active Chron's disease, a repeat of 8 weeks of treatment can be given. Following 8 weeks of treatment for active Chron's disease and when symptoms are under control, 6 mg once daily is recommended for up to 3 months of clinical remission.

Standard dose for adults with Crohn's disease at the time of treatment

When entering the treatment period, adults with Chron's disease can take 6 mg of this drug taken every morning for 3 months.

Standard adult dosage with ulcerative colitis

Uceris brand extended release tablets: 9 mg taken daily in the morning

The duration of drug use is usually up to 8 weeks, but everyone is different. The uceris tablet brand should be swallowed whole and not chewed, crushed or halved. This drug can be used to treat active, mild to moderate ulcerative colitis.

Standard dosage for adults with asthma on care

Pulmicort turbuhaler (200 mcg / inh):

• Previous treatment with bronchodilators only: 1 to 2 inhalations (200 mcg to 400 mcg) twice daily. With a maximum dose: 2 inhalations (400 mcg) twice a day.
• Previous treatment with inhaled corticosteroids: 1 to 2 inhalations (200 mcg to 400 mcg) twice daily. With a maximum dose: 4 inhalations (800 mcg) twice a day.
• Previously treated with oral corticosteroid drugs: 1 to 4 inhalations (400 mcg to 800 mcg) twice daily. Maximum dose: 4 inhalations (800 mcg) twice daily.

Pulmicort Flexhaler (90 and 180 mcg / in):

2 inhalations (360 mcg) twice daily. In some patients, doses starting at 180 mcg twice daily may be appropriate. The maximum dose should not exceed 360 mcg twice a day.

What is the Budesonide dosage for children?

Standard dosage of children with asthma on care

Inhalation powder:

1. Pulmicort turbuhaler (200 mcg / inh) for children 6 years and over:
   • Previous treatment with bronchodilators alone or with inhaled corticosteroids: 1 inhalation (200 mcg) twice daily. With a maximum dose: 2 inhalations (400 mcg) twice a day.
   • Previous treatment with oral corticosteroids: 2 inhalations (400 mcg) twice daily. With a maximum dose: 2 inhalations (400 mcg) twice a day.
2. Pulmicort flexhaler (90 and 180 mcg / in.): 1 inhalation (180 mcg) twice daily. In some patients, starting with 360 mcg twice daily is considered appropriate. The maximum dose should not exceed 360 mcg twice a day.

Inhalation suspension:

Use of this drug is only for children 1 to 8 years of age.

• Previous treatment with bronchodilators only: 0.5 mg total daily dose given once or twice daily in divided doses. With a maximum dose: 0.5 mg / day.
• Previous treatment with inhaled corticosteroids: 0.5 mg total daily dose given once or twice daily in divided doses. Maximum dose: 1 mg / day.
• Symptoms of children who do not respond to nonsteroidal asthma drugs: Initial: 0.25 mg once daily may be considered

Standard dosage of children with Acute Chron's disease

Limited data available; the optimal dose and duration of treatment have not been determined. For children 6 years and over, the dosage needed is:

• In medicine: 9 mg / day given once a day for 7 to 8 weeks.
• Maintenance or remission: 6 mg / day given once daily for 3 to 4 weeks.

Note: One study in children aged 10 to 19 years showed a trend toward higher rates of remission using an induction dose of 12 mg / day given once daily for 4 weeks, followed by 6 mg / day for 3 weeks. Further research is needed to ascertain the optimal dosage regimen.

In what dosage is Budesonide available?

Budesonide is available in the following dosages:

1. Active breathing powder Aerosol, inhalation, which can be found in the brand Pulmicort Flexhaler: 90 mcg / actuation (1 ea); 180 mcg / actuation (1 ea)
2. 24 hour extended release capsule, orally:
   • Entocort EC: 3 mg
   • Generic: 3 mg
   • Suspension, inhalation, namely Pulmicort: 0.25 mg / 2 mL (2 mL); 0.5 mg / 2 mL (2 mL), 1 mg / 2 mL (2 mL)
   • Generic: 0.25 mg / 2 mL (2 mL); 0.5 mg / 2 mL
3. 24 hour extended release tablet, orally:
   • Uceris: 9 mg
   • Dosage form: Canada
   • Powder for oral inhalation, namely in the brand Pulmicort turbuhaler: 100 mcg / inhalation; 200 mcg / inhalation; 400 mcg / inhalation

Budesonide dosage

What side effects can be experienced due to Budesonide?

Side effects that may occur while using budesonide are nausea, heartburn, and headaches. Seek medical help right away if you experience an allergic reaction: hives, difficulty breathing, swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Call your doctor if you experience the following serious side effects:

• Changes in the shape or location of body fat (especially in the arms, face, neck, breasts and waist)
• Increased blood pressure (severe headache, fast or irregular heartbeat, blurred vision)
• Feeling overall pain is accompanied by headache, fatigue, nausea, and vomiting

Meanwhile, some of the less serious side effects of using budesonide are:

• Thinning skin, easily injured
• Headache
• Runny nose or stuffy nose, cough, sore throat
• Muscle ache
• Mild nausea, stomach pain, indigestion
• Mild skin rash
• Changes to the menstrual cycle.

Not everyone experiences the following side effects. There may be some side effects not listed above. If you have concerns about certain side effects, consult your doctor or pharmacist.

Budesonide side effects

What should be known before using Budesonide?

Things you should do before using budesonide are:

• Tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to budesonide, or any other medication
• Tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription / nonprescription drugs, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are using or intending to use. Be sure to name one of the following: clarithromycin, erythromycin, ketoconazole, indinavir, itraconazole, nefazodone, nelfinavir, ritonavir, and telithromycin. Your doctor may need to change drug doses or monitor your condition for various side effects. Many other drugs also interact with budesonide, so be sure to tell your doctor about all drugs you use, even those not on this list.
• Tell your doctor if you or someone in your family has diabetes (high blood sugar) or glaucoma, or if you have tuberculosis, high blood pressure, osteoporosis (a condition where bones become thin and weak and break easily), sores on the inside of your stomach , cataracts, or liver disease
• Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant or are breastfeeding. If during use of this medicine you find yourself pregnant, contact your doctor
• If you are having surgery, including dental surgery, tell your doctor or dentist that you are taking budesonide
• Tell your doctor if you have never had smallpox or measles and have not been vaccinated against this infection. Stay away from people who are sick, especially those who have had smallpox or measles. If you catch any of these infections, call your doctor right away. You may need medication to protect yourself from this infection.

Is Budesonide safe for pregnant and lactating women?

There is no adequate research on the risks of using this drug in pregnant or breastfeeding women. Always consult your doctor to weigh the potential benefits and risks before using this medication. This drug is included in the risk of pregnancy category C according to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The following references the pregnancy risk categories according to the FDA:

• A = No risk,
• B = not at risk in several studies,
• C = May be risky,
• D = There is positive evidence of risk,
• X = Contraindicated,
• N = Unknown

There are not sufficient studies in women to confirm the risk of a baby using this medicine during breastfeeding. Consider the benefits against the risks before using this medication during breastfeeding.

Budesonide Drug Warnings and Cautions

What medicines may interact with Budesonide?

Drug interactions can change the performance of your medications or increase the risk of serious side effects. Not all possible drug interactions are listed in this document. Keep a list of all the products you use (including prescription / non-prescription drugs and herbal products) and consult your doctor or pharmacist. Do not start, stop, or change the dose of any medication without your doctor's approval.

Although several drugs should not be used simultaneously, in other cases two different drugs may be used simultaneously even if interactions are possible. In this case, your doctor may change the dose, or other precautions may be needed. When using this medication, it is important for your doctor to know if you are using any of the drugs on the following list below. The following interactions are selected based on their significant risk and do not mean that all will result in the same interactions.

Using this medication with any of the following drugs is usually not recommended, but may be needed in some cases. If both drugs are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or the frequency with which you use one or both drugs.

• Boceprevir
• Bupropion
• Carbamazepine
• Ceritinib
• Cobicistat
• Dabrafenib
• Eslicarbazepine Acetate
• Idelalisib
• Mitotane
• Nilotinib
• Piperaquine
• Pixantrone
• Primidone
• Ritonavir
• Siltuximab
• Telaprevir

Using this medication with one of the following drugs will increase your risk of certain side effects, but taking the two drugs together may be the best treatment for you. If both drugs are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both drugs.

• Erythromycin
• Itraconazole
• Ketoconazole

Can food or alcohol interact with Budesonide?

Certain drugs should not be used with meals or when eating certain foods because drug interactions can occur. Consuming alcohol or tobacco with certain drugs can also cause interactions to occur. Discuss your use of drugs with food, alcohol, or tobacco with your health care provider.

• Grapefruit juice (grapefruit red)

What health conditions can interact with Budesonide?

The presence of other health problems in your body may affect the use of this medicine. Tell your doctor if you have other health problems, in particular:

• Cataract
• Diabetes
• Eczema
• Glaucoma
• Hypertension
• Infections (for example, bacterial, viral, fungal)
• Osteoporosis
• Rhinitis (inflammation in the nose)
• Active stomach ulcers
• Tuberculosis
• Weak immune system ⎯ use with caution. Conditions can be more severe
• liver disease (including cirrhosis), moderate to severe ⎯ use with caution. The effect of the drug can be increased because the substance is slow to be excreted from the body.

Budesonide Drug Interactions

What should I do in an emergency or overdose?

In case of an emergency or overdose, contact the local emergency services provider (112) or immediately to the nearest hospital emergency department.

What should I do if I miss a dose?

If you forget a dose of this medicine, take it as soon as possible. However, when it is nearing the time of the next dose, skip the missed dose and return to the usual dosing schedule. Don't double the dose.