Presented by Michael George, MD, rheumatologist at the Hospital of The University of Pennsylvania
Love them or hate them, steroids have been in our toolkit for treating chronic disease symptoms for over 50 years. They work fast, they’re relatively inexpensive, and they have a powerful anti-inflammatory effect. But those benefits do not come without risks. This webinar provides a useful overview of taking glucocorticoid steroids to help manage chronic inflammatory diseases, including how steroids work in the body, different dosage levels, and their benefits and potentials side effects.
Fast Facts from the Webinar
1. Corticosteroids for inflammation are not the same as those used by athletes and body builders
2. Steroids impact how your body responses to insulin
This can cause an increase in blood sugar for some people, especially those with diabetes.
3. Bigger doses aren’t always better
For most RA patients, steroids above 20mg may not provide much benefit. Different conditions require different doses to control inflammation.
4. Steroids don’t always prevent joint damage
These medications control inflammation, but they do not always prevent joint damage.
About the Presenter
Michael George, MD, is rheumatologist at the Hospital of The University of Pennsylvania with a specific research interest in medication safety.
Get Involved in Arthritis Research
If you are diagnosed with arthritis or another musculoskeletal condition, we encourage you to participate in future studies by joining CreakyJoints’ patient research registry, ArthritisPower. ArthritisPower is the first-ever patient-led, patient-centered research registry for joint, bone, and inflammatory skin conditions. Learn more and sign up here.
This webinar was produced with the Autoimmune and Systemic Inflammatory Syndromes Collaborative Research Group (ASIS CRG). As part of the National Patient-Centered Clinical Research Network, this research group collaborates with stakeholders including patients, caregivers, advocacy groups, providers, and funders early on to move research forward more quickly and more efficiently. Learn more about our work here.
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