Side Effects of Prednisone on the Patients with Nephrotic Syndrome

Prednisone is a kind of adrenal cortical hormone in the treatment of Nephrotic Syndrome. It can decline the protein leakage, alleviate edema and decline blood pressure and so on. However, long-term using of prednisone can lead to a series of complications.

1. Prednisone can cause sugar urine and high blood sugar level. If the patients have early stage or latent Diabetes, they should be particularly careful when using prednisone.

2. Prednisone can lead to obvious retention of water and sodium in body thus causing edema, increased blood volume and high blood pressure.

3. Long term uses of prednisone can chlorine and calcium negative balance. Moreover, the patients may also be accompanied by the protein loss and osteoporosis.

4. Prednisone can make potassium level decline thus leading to hypokalemia alkalosis.

5. It can cause hirsutism and acne, which can influence the patients’ appearance greatly, especially for the women patients with Nephrotic Syndrome.

6. If the patients with Nephrotic Syndrome over time, it can cause hypercortisolism, obesity, moon-shaped face and so on. It can put much psychological burden to the patients themselves.

7. Prednisone can cause irritable digestive tract ulcer or aggravate the original ulcer thus leading to haemorrhage and other complications.

8. A minority of the patients with Nephrotic Syndrome may have amenorrhea after using prednisone.

9. After using prednisone, the patients’ resistance to infectious pathogens declines.

As prednisone can cause so many side effects, the patients should know how to correct and decline the above adverse effect on the patients as possible as they can.

1. The patients with Nephrotic Syndrome should know the indications of prednisone.

2. In the process of using prednisone, the patients should observe the therapeutic reaction. Once it causes side effects on them, they should decline the dosage under their doctors’ guidance.

3. In the first two weeks of prednisone therapy, the patients should observe their body weight and blood pressure closely. If there are abnormal changes in their body weight or blood pressure, they should tell their doctors at once and adopt corresponding therapy in time.


If you are facing the mentioned side effects on prednisone and do not how to deal with them, you can consult us on line or email to kidney-treatment@hotmail.com to get more useful advices.