Composition
Each 1 ml contains:
Dexamethasone phosphate (as sodium salt)                                   4 mg

Properties and Mode of Action
EPIDRON is a potent anti-inflammatory glucocorticoid with absence of any significant salt-retaining activity.
It has a rapid onset with relatively short duration of action.
It is rapidly distributed to all body tissues.
It is less extensively bound to plasma proteins and mainly metabolized in the liver to inactive metabolites. The main excretion is through the kidney.

Indications
Cerebral oedema.
Shock.
Inflammatory conditions and allergic reactions.
Local injection in cases of intra-articular, intrabursal or soft tissue inflammation.

Dosage and Administration
Cerebral Oedema:
Initially: 10 mg I.V. followed by 4 mg I.M. every 6 hours for 2 - 4 days then taper the dose over 5 - 7 days.
Shock:
2 - 6 mg/kg body weight I.V. as single dose or 20 mg I.V. as single dose initially followed by 3 mg/kg/day via continuous I.V. infusion.
Administration of high-dose therapy for shock should be discontinued after the patient's condition has stabilized and is usually continued for no longer than 2 - 3 days.
Inflammatory Conditions and Allergic Reactions:
0.5 - 9 mg I.M. or I.V. daily.
Intra-articular, Intralesional or Soft tissue Injection :
0.2 - 6 mg, repeated at 3 days to 3 weeks intervals if necessary. The total daily dose should not exceed 80 mg.

Precautions
EPIDRON should be used cautiously in patients with recent G.I. ulceration or myocardial infarction.
It may exacerbate systemic fungal or T.B. infection.
It should be also used cautiously in patients with diabetes mellitus,recent intestinal anastomosis, thromboembolic disorders and liver cirrhosis.
Pregnancy and Lactation:
EPIDRON should not be used unless clearly needed.
Infants born to mothers who have received substantial doses of corticosteroids during pregnancy should be carefully observed for signs of hypoadrenalism.
Corticosteroids appear in breast milk and could suppress growth,interfere with endogenous corticosteroid production or cause other unwanted reactions.

Drug Interactions
EPIDRON may reduce the serum levels of salicylates and other anticoagulants and may decrease their effectiveness.
Coadministration with digitalis may enhance the possibility of digitalis toxicity associated with hypokalemia.
Patients receiving potassium-depleting diuretics should be observed for hypokalemia.

Contra_indications
Hypersensitivity to any component of the drug.
Systemic fungal infections.

Side effects
Most side effects are dose- or duration-dependent.
Muscle weakness, hypokalemia, hyperglycemia, headache, parasthesia, thromboembolism, skin atrophy at sites of I.M. injection.

Presentation
1 (2 ml) vial.