Prednisolone

Prednisolone is a steroid. It reduces inflammation and calms the immune system in many conditions, from asthma attacks to arthritis flares.

Type of medicine

Corticosteroid (steroid tablet)

Also known as

Deltacortril

Comes as

tablets, soluble tablets, liquid, eye drops, suppositories, enemas

How you get it

Prescription only

What it is used for

Asthma attacks and COPD flare-ups
Flares of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis
Rheumatoid arthritis, polymyalgia rheumatica and giant cell arteritis
Severe allergic reactions and skin conditions
Lupus, vasculitis and other autoimmune conditions
MS relapses
Some cancers and after organ transplants

Read our guides:

Off-label uses

Doctors sometimes prescribe a medicine for a condition it is not officially licensed for. This is called off-label use. It is legal and common when there is good evidence it helps, and your doctor should explain why they are suggesting it.

Bell's palsy

How it works

Prednisolone is a man-made version of cortisol, a hormone made by your adrenal glands. At higher doses, it strongly reduces inflammation and the activity of the immune system.

Side effects

Like all medicines, Prednisolone can cause side effects, although not everyone gets them. Many are mild and ease after the first few weeks.

Common side effects

increased appetite and weight gain
trouble sleeping
mood changes
indigestion
raised blood sugar
more infections

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if these bother you or do not go away.

Serious side effects

These are rare. Call 111 or contact your doctor straight away if you get:

feeling very low, very high or confused, or thoughts of harming yourself
signs of a serious infection
black or bloody poo, or vomiting blood
very high blood sugar, with thirst and needing to pee a lot

Call 999 if you have signs of a serious allergic reaction, such as swelling of your lips, mouth, throat or tongue, or trouble breathing.

You can report any side effect to the Yellow Card scheme, run by the medicines regulator.

Stopping and withdrawal

Important safety information

Carry a steroid emergency card if you take it for more than 3 weeks.
Long-term use can thin bones, raise blood pressure and blood sugar and cause cataracts.
Avoid contact with chickenpox and shingles if you have not had chickenpox.

Questions about your medicine?

A pharmacist can answer questions about your medicines for free, without an appointment. You can also ask your GP for a medication review. Check if you can get free prescriptions.