Misuse of Dexamethasone

Over-prescription of dextamethasone has raised concerns among health officials about its potential fallouts. Dexamethasone is a strong drug available in many forms and is used to treat a variety of conditions such as allergic disorders, skin conditions, ulcerative colitis, arthritis, lupus, psoriasis, or breathing disorders. “Injecting the drug can make the body vulnerable to viral diseases like the common cold and other infectious diseases by weakening the immune system,” Noushin Mohammad Hosseini, an expert at the Food and Drug Administration, was quoted by IRNA as saying.

Dexamethasone has become one of the most prescribed medicines in Iran. Some patients go as far as pushing physicians to include it in their prescription as they believe it helps them overcome their ailments quicker.  It is said that the use of the drug in Iran is seven times higher than the global average. Misuse and overuse of dexamethasone has been known to increase blood pressure and sugar and is linked to osteoporosis.