|
Florinef is a corticosteroid. It is a part of the family of medications known as steroids. Your body naturally creates alike corticosteroids, which are essential to preserve the balance of certain minerals and water for good health. If your body does not create enough corticosteroids, your physician may have administered this medicine to help make up the difference.
Florinef is from Canada (Fludrocortisone Acetate) and is specified as partial replacement therapy for primary and secondary adrenocortical deficiency in Addison's disease and for the management of salt-losing adrenogenital syndrome. In Addison's disease, the mixture of Florinef tablets with a glucocorticoid such as hydrocortisone or cortisone supplies replacement therapy approximating normal adrenal activity with minimal risks of unwelcome effects. The common dosage is 0.1 mg of Florinef from Canada (Fludrocortisone Acetate) daily, while dosage ranging from 0.1 mg three times a week to 0.2 mg. daily has been administered. In the event transient hypertension results as a outcome of therapy, the dose of Florinef from Canada (Fludrocortisone Acetate) should be reduced to 0.05 mg. daily. Florinef from Canada (Fludrocortisone Acetate) is preferably given in conjunction with cortisone (10 mg. to 37.5 mg. daily in separated doses) or Cortef (hydrocortisone) (10 mg. to 30 mg. daily in divided doses).
Florinef (Fludrocortisone) Side Effects:
The medications mineralocorticoid activity (retention of sodium and water) produces Florinef side effects like hypertension, edema, cardiac enlargement, congestive heart failure, potassium loss, and hypokalemic alkalosis. When Florinef is used in the small dosages recommended, the glucocorticoid side effects often seen with cortisone and its derivatives are not usually a problem; however the following Florinef side effects should be kept in mind, mainly when Florinef is utilized over a extended period of time or in conjunction with cortisone or a comparable glucocorticoid. Musculoskeletal: Florinef side effects like muscle weakness, steroid myopathy, loss of muscle mass, osteoporosis, vertebral compression fractures, aseptic necrosis of femoral and humeral heads, pathologic fracture of long bones, and spontaneous fractures. Gastrointestinal:Florinef side effects like peptic ulcer with possible perforation and hemorrhage, pancreatitis, abdominal distention, and ulcerative esophagitis.
Corticosteroids are considered to act, at least in part, by controlling the degree of synthesis of proteins. Though there are a number of cases in which the synthesis of specific proteins is known to be induced by corticosteroids, the connections between the initial actions of the hormones and final metabolic effects have not been completely elucidated. The physiologic action of Florinef is similar to that of hydrocortisone. However, the effects of Florinef, mostly on electrolyte balance, but also on carbohydrate metabolism, are significantly heightened and prolonged. Mineralocorticoids act on the distal tubules of the kidney to enhance the reabsorption of sodium ions from the tubular fluid into the plasma; they increase the urinary excretion of both potassium and hydrogen ions. The result of these three primary effects jointly with similar actions on cation transport in other tissues appear to account for the entire spectrum of physiological behaviors that are characteristic of mineralocorticoids. In small oral doses, fludrocortisone acetate produces marked sodium retention and increased urinary potassium excretion. It also causes a rise in blood pressure, apparently because of these effects on electrolyte levels.
|
