Long-term sequelae
Recently, the Endocrinology Department of People's Hospital 115 successfully treated an 87-year-old man with Cushing's syndrome and chronic adrenal insufficiency, related to prolonged corticosteroid use. The patient was brought to the hospital by his family due to persistent fatigue, poor appetite, and exhaustion.
Upon examination, the patient was observed to have a round, red face, thin skin, and easy bruising. When asked about the medication she was taking, her family stated that she had self-medicated with painkillers containing corticosteroids and had been using them for an extended period because she "felt better."
The Ho Chi Minh City Dermatology Hospital also receives many cases of women experiencing dermatological problems after using cosmetics containing corticosteroids purchased online. For example, patient PTMD (43 years old, residing in Tay Ninh province), due to darkened skin and many wrinkles, searched online to buy skin rejuvenation cosmetics for nearly 8 million VND.
“I ordered it because I trusted the advertiser, a famous actress. After applying the cream for three days, I noticed my skin was much brighter and smoother, and I was very happy. But on the fifth day, tiny blisters started appearing on my face. I called the brand's customer service representative, and they said the cream was pushing out hidden acne and told me to continue using it. The next day, my face was swollen, painful, blistered, and the blisters contained yellow fluid like pus. I went to the Ho Chi Minh City Dermatology Hospital for examination and found out I had an infection,” Ms. D. shared.
Dr. Le Thao Hien, a specialist in Aesthetic Dermatology at the Ho Chi Minh City Dermatology Hospital, said that every day the department receives patients with allergies and complications from using "unregulated" cosmetics purchased through social media or e-commerce platforms. These cosmetics contain skin-peeling agents such as salicylic acid and trichloroacetic acid at high concentrations (30%-50%) or corticosteroids.
These ingredients act very quickly and deeply on the skin, so initially users see their skin brighten, become firm and smooth, but later the skin will be damaged, develop dark spots, severe acne, pus formation, infection, leading to long-term consequences, and in some cases, irreversible damage.
According to the World Health Organization, corticosteroids are a group of drugs that must be used only as prescribed, for the right duration, and under medical supervision, due to the risk of local and systemic side effects if misused. Misuse of corticosteroids in children can slow down intellectual and mental development.
Stricter management is needed.
According to Dr. Nguyen Thi My Hanh, Department of Endocrinology, People's Hospital 115, corticosteroids are a group of drugs with strong anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive effects, prescribed by doctors for many conditions such as asthma, allergies, anaphylactic shock, systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatic fever, rheumatoid arthritis, and autoimmune diseases. Corticosteroids are important drugs in treatment; if used correctly, in the right dosage and for the right duration, they will have a high treatment efficacy for patients.
However, if used without medical supervision, for prolonged periods, or if medications of unknown origin containing corticosteroids are used, the body may experience adrenal gland dysfunction and lead to chronic adrenal insufficiency.
"Long-term corticosteroid users may experience physical changes: a round, red face, fat accumulation in the neck area, increased abdominal fat, muscle atrophy in the arms and legs; thin skin, easy bruising, reddish-purple stretch marks; increased blood pressure, increased blood sugar, osteoporosis, and prolonged general fatigue, dizziness, nausea…," Dr. Nguyen Thi My Hanh informed.
Many countries around the world have now included corticosteroids in their list of prescription drugs to control side effects. However, in Vietnam, corticosteroid-containing drugs are sold freely and indiscriminately, without a prescription or doctor's guidance.
When experiencing symptoms such as joint pain, allergies, itchy skin, or respiratory infections, many people choose to buy medication based on personal experience or word-of-mouth recommendations, instead of seeking medical attention. This is one of the reasons leading to the misuse of corticosteroids among the population.
Furthermore, uncontrolled advertising of certain products and pharmaceuticals also contributes to the increased risk of misuse of corticosteroids. In many cases, it is only after years of use that the body is found to have become dependent on the drug, leading to many irreversible complications.
To curb the misuse of corticosteroids, Dr. Nguyen Thi My Hanh recommends strengthening control over the business, advertising, and distribution of these drugs on the market, especially for products of unknown origin or those advertised as "traditional medicine" or "family-inherited remedies."
Only use corticosteroids when prescribed and at scheduled follow-up appointments; do not stop taking the medication abruptly if you have been using it for an extended period; avoid unlabeled medications with unknown ingredients, including products advertised as "fast pain relief." If you suspect you have been using corticosteroids for an extended period, go to a medical facility immediately for guidance on safely reducing your dosage.
Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/tra-gia-dat-vi-lam-dung-corticoid-post841568.html
Comment (0)