How long does prednisolone take to work for inflammation?

Prednisolone belongs to a class of drugs called corticosteroids (glucocorticoids, more specifically). These synthetic compounds have similar functions to the steroids produced by the body but are functionally more potent. It comes in various dosages and formulations, including solutions or tablets. 

How long does it take to work for reducing inflammation?

The prescribed dose of prednisone works quickly to relieve acute and chronic inflammation. The majority of an oral dose of this medication will not be absorbed in the bloodstream for 1-2 hours, however, an injection of the drug will work much faster because it is immediately available in the bloodstream.

The rate of efficacy will also depend on if the medication is a fast or slow-release tablet. If you are treating a chronic form of inflammation with a slow-release tablet, the drug may take longer to come into effect, approximately 6 hours. Keep reading to learn about the variations and doses of prednisone and how quickly they begin to work.

Why do you need prednisone?

It has anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties and is used for treating conditions, e.g., gout, lupus, vasculitis, rheumatoid arthritis, asthma and other allergic reactions. It is even used in the palliative care of cancer and sclerosis.

It also cools down the overactive immune system and is used in autoimmune conditions, e.g., lupus erythematous. It also relieves pain, and low dosages treat acute and chronic pain. 

Before getting to know about the drug, you should develop an understanding of your health. Our Health and Lifestyle Blood Test is a very useful product. It is a very comprehensive test and allows you to improve your overall health. Click here to order.

How does prednisolone work?

It's used for its anti-inflammatory properties and reduces the signs of inflammation, e.g., swelling, redness, and pain. It reduces inflammation by decreasing the migration of leukocytes (the body's defence cells) to the site of inflammation. This action will not be beneficial in the long run but reduces the immediate signs of inflammation and allergic reaction.

Learn how to reduce inflammation fast on our Health Hub.

It suppresses the immune system by lowering the volume and activity of the immune response. That makes it useful to calm down an overactive immune system.

How long does it take to work?

Prednisolone and other corticosteroids work very quickly. But, the working efficiency depends upon several factors, e.g.,

The condition being treated

Depending upon the condition for which it is being used, it gives results within hours and days. For acute cases, it works more quickly, but for chronic cases, it works slowly. It will cover the symptoms in chronic cases but will not completely treat the condition.

The route of administration

The drug taken through any route will reach blood circulation. But all drugs taken orally will not reach the blood. In the case of prednisolone, more than 80% will reach circulation in 1-2 hours. The prednisolone injected into the veins will all be available immediately. So, the injectable prednisolone will work more rapidly.

The dosage being used

The dosage is normally the lowest effective dose required to produce the desired results with minimum side effects. Depending on your age and body weight, the recommended daily dose is between 10-80 mg.

A higher dose will increase the efficacy, albeit at a higher risk of side effects. The steroid tablets or injections should be used at the recommended dose only

The formulation type being used

The tablets available in the market can be either fast-release or delayed-release. The structure of delayed-release tablets or capsules is designed to cause a slow drug release and is more suitable for treating chronic conditions. These formulations will take up to 6 hours to achieve the desired levels in the blood.

The immediate-release formulations, which come in solution, tablet or injection forms, take much less to absorb and reach your bloodstream (typically less than 2 hours).

The effect of other drugs

The use of other drugs can increase or decrease the absorption of prednisone. For example, antacids used to treat stomach acidity (e.g., sodium carbonate, magnesium hydroxide, sodium bicarbonate, aluminium hydroxide etc.) reduce the absorption and bio-availability of prednisolone.

That's why it is recommended to use an antacid not less than 2 hours before or after the prednisolone. The bile acid sequestrants also have a similar effect. Therefore, you need to monitor the treatment. Similarly, it would help if you also avoided blood thinners and immunosuppressants. A good piece of advice is to consult the pharmacist if you are taking any other drug.

How long will prednisolone stay in the blood (therapeutic half-life)?

The absorbed drug will stay in the blood and remain effective for a long time. It is then eliminated through faeces or urine. The elimination half-life of prednisolone is 2.1-3.5 hours. It means it will be eliminated from the body in less than 12 hours. Therefore, the doctors often divide the daily dose into two halves in case you use a fast-releasing tablet.

Moreover, suppose you are on a regular course of steroids. In that case, you shouldn't abandon it without consulting the doctor as it can cause an imbalance of natural steroids in the body, causing adverse symptoms, e.g., abnormal food cravings, oral sores, stomach pain, changed skin colour, tiredness, hypotension, weight loss etc.

How long does it take to work for chronic conditions?

Chronic and painful conditions, e.g., polymyalgia rheumatica and inflammatory arthritis, will require a high dose of a slow-releasing formulation to get you out of pain. If you get enough doses, you are likely to see improvement within hours or on the same day. However, lower doses will take longer to recover. The improvement is shown by your ability to walk again, open the can and get to the bathroom yourself, etc.

How long does it take to work for acute conditions?

It works quickly, and you will find relief from acute flares of chronic pulmonary obstructive disease (COPD) within hours. The common recommendation is to continuously use 30-40 mg daily for 10-14 days. However, if the issue is complicated by secondary bacterial infections, it will take longer, and you will also need antibiotics to fasten the recovery.

Useful tips to improve the efficacy and safety of treatment

Prednisolone and other corticosteroids are well tolerated and safe when used according to the directions. However, the following tips will give you the maximum benefit from the treatment.

Wait to expect benefits.

Due to a short half-life, most people will notice improvement within a few hours. But, all people will not have so. Depending upon your health, the drug dose, and the condition being treated, you may not get any benefit within a few days.

It would help if you use immediate or delayed-release formulations according to the need. For example, immediate-release tablets are needed to treat acute inflammation, while a delayed-release tablet will work best for chronic conditions, e.g., rheumatoid arthritis.

Take the tablets with food.

Stomach upsets are the common side effects of prednisolone. Therefore doctors often recommend it to be used with milk or some other food. This practice will also aid in the absorption of the drug.

Be aware of the side effects.

Like other drugs, prednisolone can also cause various side effects, e.g., elevated blood pressure and sugar, difficulty sleeping or total lack of sleep, restlessness, profuse sweating, high blood pressure, disturbed blood sugar, mood swings, fluid retention, weight gain etc. Keep these issues in mind and consult the doctor for severe side effects. However, the following tips will help you to manage the mild side effects;

• Exercise regularly,

• Avoid high-sugar and high-fat foods

• Minimise or eliminate the alcohol use

• Don't extend the treatment beyond the recommended limit

Not all of the side effects could be due to prednisone use. A lot of other conditions can also be responsible. Our Tiredness and Fatigue Blood Test can help you diagnose the causes of these symptoms. It detects the levels of key vitamins, hormones and proteins involved in energy metabolism. Click here to order your test kit.

Avoid NSAIDS and grapefruit.

As mentioned above, prednisolone should be combined with some foods. But this is not always true for all foods, e.g., grapefruit. It can interact with prednisolone and various other drugs. It can alter the serum levels of the drug, although the exact mechanism is unclear. Some other studies have found no association between the prednisone absorbed into blood and grapefruit.

But, to be on the safe side, you should avoid combining both of these. It can also cause adverse reactions with some drugs, e.g., nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), so you should also avoid common steroids, e.g., naproxen, ibuprofen etc. These drugs increase the risk of stomach upsets, kidney toxicities, bleeding disorders and ulcers.

For more information about drug interactions, consult your pharmacist.

Or, read more about common medications on our Health Hub. Read our latest article on the risks of paracetamol.

Take the dose regularly. 

Taking prednisone regularly is very important. However, don't panic in case of a missed dose. Just take the pill as soon as you remember. But, if the time of the next pill has arrived, just take the next one and never take a catch-up or extra dose in any case, as it can increase the plasma levels of the drug to dangerous levels.

If you have missed the drug for multiple days, consult the doctor for alternatives, as the steroid may not work now due to steroid withdrawal. The body becomes used to the low levels of steroids. People taking steroids on a long-term basis are more likely to experience it.

Bottom-line

Prednisolone is a corticosteroid drug used to treat acute and chronic pain and inflammation. It can, however, provide little help in fighting infections. Taking steroid tablets is not recommended in case of pregnancy or breastfeeding. It works quickly but not for everyone, and some may have to use it for days continuously to get results.

If, however, weeks of regular use are ineffective, you need to consult the doctor for alternatives, as you may need better and stronger drugs. If you have questions about prednisolone, its effectiveness and alternatives, the Welzo Health professionals can guide you. Click here for more information.

Our Welzo Pharmacy has medications, drugs and tests available for you. We ensure the availability of trusted products at your doorstep. Click here to search our online pharmacy.

Monitoring the health of the kidney and liver is extremely important when you are on any long-term treatment. We have useful tests that can help you in this regard. Click here to get your Kidney Blood Test kit that can help you know if you have any kidney issues. Click here to get a similar kit for your liver health.