deflazacort at a glance
Medicine class
Systemic glucocorticoid corticosteroid
Main role
Controls harmful inflammation and immune responses
What is deflazacort used for?
The selected product is licensed for conditions requiring systemic glucocorticoid treatment.
Severe allergic conditions, including anaphylaxis, asthma and severe hypersensitivity reactions
Inflammatory and autoimmune disorders, including rheumatoid and juvenile chronic arthritis, polymyalgia rheumatica, lupus, dermatomyositis, vasculitis and sarcoidosis
Severe inflammatory skin disorders, including pemphigus, bullous pemphigoid and pyoderma gangrenosum
Kidney inflammation and minimal-change nephrotic syndrome
Inflammatory bowel disease, including ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease
Inflammatory eye disorders, including uveitis and optic neuritis
Autoimmune blood disorders and selected blood cancers
Rheumatic carditis and immunosuppression in transplantation
How does deflazacort work?
After absorption, deflazacort is rapidly converted to an active metabolite. Its glucocorticoid effects suppress inflammatory and immune responses, helping control swelling, tissue damage and immune attack.
deflazacort preparations and strengths
Tablet
Route: Oral
Strengths: 6 mg
How to take deflazacort
Take the tablets by mouth and swallow them whole with a glass of water.
Keep the medicine in its original pack.
If dizziness or vertigo occurs, do not drive or operate machinery.
Carry any steroid card supplied by your healthcare team.
deflazacort side effects
Common or expected effects
- Weight gain
Get urgent medical advice
- Serious allergic reaction, with facial or throat swelling or breathing difficulty
- Severe blistering or peeling skin reaction
- Vomiting blood, black stools or other signs of gastrointestinal bleeding
- Severe depression, suicidal thoughts, mania, hallucinations or marked confusion
- Severe infection, which may have muted or unusual symptoms
- Severe abdominal pain that may spread to the back
deflazacort in pregnancy
Deflazacort crosses the placenta. Systemic corticosteroids can be used during pregnancy when a clinician considers that the benefits outweigh the risks; uncontrolled inflammatory disease may itself harm the pregnancy. Contact the prescriber promptly when planning pregnancy or after becoming pregnant.
deflazacort while breastfeeding
Deflazacort can be used cautiously while breastfeeding, but better-studied corticosteroids may be preferred. Evidence specific to deflazacort is limited; prolonged or high exposure may require monitoring of the infant’s feeding, growth, weight gain and adrenal function, particularly if the infant is premature or unwell.
deflazacort interactions
Check prescribed, pharmacy and herbal products with a healthcare professional. Important interactions include:
Live attenuated vaccines
Contraindicated because immunosuppression can permit serious vaccine-related infection.
Rifampicin, rifabutin and enzyme-inducing antiseizure medicines
May reduce deflazacort exposure and clinical effect.
Ketoconazole, cobicistat and other strong CYP3A inhibitors
May increase systemic corticosteroid exposure and adverse effects.
Common questions about deflazacort
Answers are fully visible for fast scanning and source review.
What type of steroid is deflazacort?
It is a systemic glucocorticoid that suppresses inflammation and immune activity.
Is deflazacort the same as prednisolone?
No. They are related systemic corticosteroids but are different active substances.
What can happen if deflazacort is stopped suddenly?
Sources
These sources were used to prepare and review this medicine page.
Prepared and reviewed by the iatroX editorial team.