$Unique_ID{BRK01848}
$Pretitle{}
$Title{BETAMETHASONE (SYSTEMIC)}
$Subject{Celestone (Schering)}
$Volume{}
$Log{}

Copyright (C) 1991 Publications International, Ltd.


BETAMETHASONE (SYSTEMIC)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BRAND NAME (Manufacturer):
     Celestone (Schering)
TYPE OF DRUG:
     Adrenocorticosteroid hormone
INGREDIENT:
     betamethasone
DOSAGE FORMS:
     Tablets (0.6 mg)
     Oral syrup (0.6 mg per 5-ml spoonful, with less than 1% alcohol)
STORAGE:
     Betamethasone should be stored at room temperature in a tightly closed
       container.  Discard any outdated medication or any medication that is
       no longer needed.

USES

     Your adrenal glands naturally produce certain cortisone-like chemicals.
These chemicals are involved in various regulatory processes in the body (such
as those involving fluid balance, temperature, and reaction to inflammation).
Betamethasone belongs to a group of drugs known as adrenocorticosteroids (or
cortisone-like medications).  It is used to treat a variety of disorders,
including endocrine and rheumatic disorders; asthma; blood diseases; certain
cancers; eye disorders; gastrointestinal disturbances, such as ulcerative
colitis; respiratory diseases; and inflammations such as arthritis,
dermatitis, and poison ivy.  How this drug acts to relieve these disorders is
not completely understood.

TREATMENT

     In order to prevent stomach irritation, you can take betamethasone with
food or milk.
     The oral syrup form of this medication should be measured carefully with
a specially designed 5-ml measuring spoon.  An ordinary kitchen teaspoon is
not accurate enough.
     If you are taking only one dose of this medication each day, try to take
it before 9:00 A.M.  This will mimic the body's normal production of this type
of chemical.
     It is important to try not to miss any doses of betamethasone.  However,
if you do miss a dose of this medication, follow these guidelines:
     1. If you are taking it more than once a day, take the missed dose as
soon as possible, and return to your regular schedule.  If it is already time
for the next dose, double the dose.
     2. If you are taking this medication once a day, take the dose you missed
as soon as possible, unless you don't remember until the next day.  In that
case, do not take the missed dose at all; just follow your regular schedule.
Do not double the next dose.
     3. If you are taking this drug every other day, take it as soon as you
remember.  If you missed the scheduled time by a whole day, take it when you
remember; then skip a day before you take the next dose.  Do not double the
dose.
     If you miss more than one dose of betamethasone, CONTACT YOUR DOCTOR.

SIDE EFFECTS

     Minor.

     Dizziness, false sense of well-being, increased appetite, increased
susceptibility to infections, increased sweating, indigestion, menstrual
irregularities, muscle weakness, nausea, reddening of the skin on the face,
restlessness, sleep disorders, or weight gain.  These side effects should
disappear as your body adjusts to the medication.

     Major.

     Tell your doctor about any side effects that are persistent or
particularly bothersome.  IT IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT TO TELL YOUR DOCTOR about
abdominal enlargement; acne or other skin problems; back or rib pain; bloody
or black, tarry stools; blurred vision; convulsions; fever and sore throat;
glaucoma; growth impairment (in children); headaches; impaired healing of
wounds; increased thirst and urination; menstrual irregularities; mental
depression; mood changes; muscle wasting; nightmares; peptic ulcers; puffiness
of the face; rapid weight gain (three to five pounds within a week); rash;
shortness of breath; thinning of the skin; unusual bleeding or bruising; or
unusual weakness.

INTERACTIONS

     Betamethasone interacts with several other types of drugs:
     1. Alcohol, aspirin, and anti-inflammatory medications (diflunisal,
ibuprofen, indomethacin, ketoprofen, mefenamic acid, meclofenamate, naproxen,
piroxicam, sulindac, tolmetin) aggravate the stomach problems that are common
with use of this medication.
     2. The dosage of oral anticoagulants (blood thinners, such as warfarin),
oral antidiabetic drugs, or insulin may need to be altered when this
medication is started or stopped.
     3. The loss of potassium caused by betamethasone can lead to serious side
effects in individuals taking digoxin.  Thiazide diuretics (water pills) can
increase the potassium loss caused by betamethasone.
     4. Phenobarbital, phenytoin, rifampin, and ephedrine can increase the
elimination of betamethasone from the body, thereby decreasing its
effectiveness.
     5. Oral contraceptives (birth control pills) and estrogen-containing
drugs may decrease the elimination of this drug from the body, which can lead
to an increase in side effects.
     6. Betamethasone can increase the elimination of aspirin and isoniazid,
thereby decreasing the effectiveness of these two medications.
     7. Cholestyramine and colestipol can chemically bind this medication in
the stomach and gastrointestinal tract and prevent its absorption.
     BE SURE TO TELL YOUR DOCTOR about any medications you are currently
taking, especially any listed above.

WARNINGS
     * Tell your doctor about unusual or allergic reactions you have had to
any medications, especially to betamethasone or other adrenocorticosteroids
(such as cortisone, dexamethasone, hydrocortisone, methylprednisolone,
paramethasone, prednisolone, prednisone, and triamcinolone).
     * Be sure to tell your doctor if you now have or if you have ever had
bone disease, diabetes mellitus, emotional instability, glaucoma, fungal
infections, heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels,
myasthenia gravis, peptic ulcers, osteoporosis, thyroid disease, tuberculosis,
ulcerative colitis, kidney disease, or liver disease.
     * To help avoid potassium loss while using this drug, take your dose with
a glass of fresh or frozen orange juice, or eat a banana each day.  The use of
a salt substitute also helps to prevent potassium loss.  Discuss this with
your doctor.
     * If you are using this medication for longer than a week, you may need
to receive higher dosages if you are subjected to stress, such as serious
infections, injury, or surgery.  Discuss this with your doctor.
     * If you have been taking this drug for more than a week, do not stop
taking it suddenly.  If it is stopped suddenly, you may experience abdominal
or back pain, dizziness, fainting, fever, muscle or joint pain, nausea,
vomiting, shortness of breath, or extreme weakness.  Your doctor may,
therefore, want to reduce the dosage gradually.  Never increase the dose or
take the drug for longer than the prescribed time, unless you first consult
your doctor.
     * While you are taking this drug, you should not be vaccinated or
immunized.  This medication decreases the effectiveness of vaccines and can
lead to overwhelming infection if a live-virus vaccine is administered.
     * Before having skin tests, surgery, or any other medical or dental
treatment, be sure to tell your doctor or dentist that you are taking
betamethasone.
     * Because this drug can cause glaucoma and cataracts with long-term use,
your doctor may want you to have your eyes examined by an ophthalmologist
periodically during treatment.
     * If you are taking this medication for prolonged periods, you should
wear or carry an identification card or notice stating that you are taking an
adrenocorticosteroid.
     * This medication can raise blood sugar levels in diabetic patients.
Blood sugar should, therefore, be monitored carefully with blood tests when
this medication is being taken.  If you notice a change in your blood sugar
levels, contact your doctor.
     * Be sure to tell your doctor if you are pregnant.  This type of drug
crosses the placenta.  Although studies in humans have not been conducted,
birth defects have been observed in the offspring of animals that were given
large doses of this drug during pregnancy.  Also, tell your doctor if you are
breast-feeding an infant.  Small amounts of this type of drug pass into breast
milk and may cause growth suppression or a decrease in natural
adrenocorticosteroid production in the nursing infant.

----------------

The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace 
the counsel and advice of your personal physician.  Promptly consulting your 
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical 
problem.
