Psychiatric Disturbance of Corticosteroid Therapy: It’s The Time to Overcome

Nima KV*, Lincy George, K Krishnakumar, Jasna Jose Department of pharmacy practice, St James College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, St James Hospital Trust Pharmaceutical Research Centre (DSIR recognized), Chalakudy, Kerala. ABSTRACT Corticosteroids are the drugs used for multifarious diseases because of their widespread action. It is suggested that these drug use should not be ceased rapidly, rather than it should be finished gently. Due to their diversity of actions and uses, more no of interactions with the drugs and diseases were recorded It is well known that there is a strong relationship between corticosteroid use and psychiatric effects. Both the steroid induced psychiatric symptoms and diagnosis are uncertain. Hence Pharmacists are the best person to mould a suitable drug therapy and a management regimen for corticosteroids induced adverse events in patients. They can also play an important role in educating the patients about corticosteroids and their psychic disturbances. Since physicians do not take any interest in to alert the patients about the usage, interactions and highly severe psychiatric problems of steroids, the need of pharmacists becomes very important.