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| Drug Class: What is Kenacort ? and why is it prescribed? |
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| Kenacort is in a class of drugs called steroids.
Kenacort reduces swelling and decreases the body\'s immune response.
Kenacort is used in the treatment of many different conditions. Kenacort is used to treat endocrine (hormonal) disorders when the body does not produce enough of its own steroids. Kenacort is also used to treat many immune and allergic disorders, such as allergic reactions, skin reactions, arthritis, gout, lupus, psoriasis, asthma, ulcerative colitis, multiple sclerosis, Crohn\'s disease, and others.
Triamcinolone cream & ointment are used to treat the itching, redness, dryness, crusting, scaling, inflammation, and discomfort of various skin conditions. Triamcinolone reduces or inhibits the actions of chemicals in the body that cause inflammation, redness, and swelling.
Triamcinolone oral paste is also used to relieve the discomfort of mouth sores
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| Kenacort Mechanism: How does Kenacort work? |
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| Kenacort is a type of medicine known as a corticosteroid. Corticosteroids are hormones produced naturally by the adrenal glands which have many important functions on every organ system.
Kenacort affects the strength of heart muscle and its response to natural chemicals affecting heart rate. They affect the water and salt balance in the body and also enable the body to cope with stress. Stress includes changes in temperature, pain, fear, anxiety and illness and can be hazardous if the body is not equipped to cope, due to low levels of corticosteroids. Corticosteroids allow us to respond to stress by increasing the rate and force of the heartbeat, increasing blood supply to essential tissues (muscle, heart, brain), increasing the body\'s supply of energy by raising blood sugar and by several other effects on body systems.
Kenacort decreases inflammation by acting within cells to prevent the release of certain chemicals that are important in the immune system. These chemicals are normally involved in producing immune and allergic responses, resulting in inflammation. By decreasing the release of these chemicals in a particular area, inflammation is reduced. This can help control a wide number of disease states, characterized by excessive inflammation. They include severe allergic reactions, inflammation of the lungs in asthma and inflammation of the joints in arthritis.
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| Kenacort Dosage: How should you take Kenacort |
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| Triamcinolone comes in ointment, cream, lotion, liquid, and tablets in various strengths.
Take Kenacort with food to help prevent stomach upset. If stomach upset, burning, or pain continues, check with your doctor.
Stomach problems may be more likely to occur if you drink alcoholic beverages while being treated with this medicine. You should not drink alcoholic beverages while taking this medicine, unless you have first checked with your doctor.
For oral dosage forms (tablets):
Adults and teenagers: 2 to 4 milligrams (mg) a day, as a single dose or divided into several doses.
Children: Dose is based on body weight or size and must be determined by your doctor
If you miss a Kenacort dose
If you take Kenacort once a day, take the missed dose as soon as you remember it. If you do not remember a missed dose until it is time for your next dose, omit the missed dose completely and take only the regularly scheduled dose.
If you take more than one dose of Kenacort a day, take the missed dose as soon as you remember it; then take any remaining doses for that day at evenly spaced intervals. If you remember a missed dose when it is time for you to take another, you may take both doses at one time.
Kenacort Overdose
An overdose of Kenacort is not expected to threaten life.
Kenacort Storage instructions
Keep Kenacort tablets in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children. Store at controlled room temperature,15° - 25° C (59° - 77° F). Throw away any amount of Kenacort that is outdated or no longer needed.
Preparations: Kenacort tablets 4mg
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| Possible food and drug interactions when taking Kenacort |
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| The following medicines may increase the removal of Kenacort from the body, thus reducing their effects:-
- antiepileptics e.g. carbamazepine, primidone and phenytoin
- barbituates e.g. phenobarbitone
- rifampicin
- aminoglutethimide
When taken with carbenoxolone, amphotericin, acetazolamide or diuretics e.g. frusemide, there is an increased risk of low blood potassium levels (hypokalaemia).
When taken with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) e.g. indomethacin, there is an increased risk of adverse effects on the gut, such as stomach ulceration and bleeding.
The blood levels of salicylates e.g. aspirin, are decreased by Kenacort and therefore may increase to excessive levels once the corticosteroid is stopped.
Kenacort may oppose the treatment of high blood pressure and heart failure as they may cause retention of salt and water.
As Kenacort may increase blood sugar, they can oppose the blood sugar lowering effects of antidiabetic medicines.
Live vaccines should not be administered to people taking Kenacort, as their normal immune response is reduced and giving a live vaccine may therefore result in infection rather than the production of antibodies.
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| Special information on Kenacort |
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| Most Important Fact about Kenacort
Use Kenacort cautiously, and only under the supervision of a doctor, to treat a child. Children are more sensitive to the effects of Kenacort.
Kenacort precautions if you are pregnant or breastfeeding
Before you take Kenacort, tell your doctor if you are pregnant, think that you may be pregnant, wish to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding. If you become pregnant, contact your doctor.
Do not take Kenacort while you are breast-feeding.
Special warnings about Kenacort
If you are taking Kenacort for longer than three weeks you will usually be given a steroid card with your medicine. The card contains details of your prescriber, type of steroid, dose taken and the duration of treatment. It\'s purpose is to act as reminder that your medicine should not be stopped suddenly, and to provide information of your treatment in case of an accident. You should carry it with you at all times and show it to anyone who treats you (eg doctor, nurse, pharmacist, dentist).
If you are taking Kenacort long-term, your doctor may need to temporarily increase your dose if you experience any additional illness, trauma or surgery during treatment. Discuss this with your doctor.
If you have never had chickenpox you should avoid close personal contact with people who have chickenpox or shingles (herpes zoster). If you are exposed you should your doctor urgently, as these diseases can be life-threatening in people who are taking long-term steroids and whose immune system is suppressed.
Kenacort may increase your susceptibility to infections and also mask the symptoms of these infections. Consult your doctor if you get an infection during treatment.
Kenacort should not be stopped abruptly but tapered down. The natural production of corticosteroids by the adrenal glands is suppressed by Kenacort and the body therefore becomes reliant on it.
During prolonged therapy with Kenacort a high dietary protein intake is essential
Why Kenacort should not be prescribed?
• tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to Triamcinolone or any other drugs.
• tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications you are taking, especially cancer chemotherapy agents, other topical medications, and vitamins.
• tell your doctor if you have an infection or if you have ever had diabetes, glaucoma, cataracts, a circulation disorder, or an immune disorder.
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| Kenacort side effects |
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| More common side effects of Kenacort may include:
• dry skin,
• irritation
• unusual increased growth of hair on the face or body
• increased appetite,
• indigestion,
• loss of appetite,
• nervousness or restlessness
Rare side effects of Kenacort may include:
• burning or itching of the skin
• dark red spots on the skin
• blindness (sudden),
• burning,
• numbness,
• confusion,
• excitement ,
• false sense of well-being,
• hallucinations (seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not there),
• mental depression,
• mistaken feelings of self-importance or being mistreated,
• mood swings (sudden and wide),
• redness,
• restlessness ,
• skin rash or hives
• infection
• painful, red, pus-filled blisters in hair follicles
• thinning of the skin, sunburn more likely especially on the face |
Drug Class: What is Kenacort ? and why is it prescribed?
