Drug interactions
Cortisone + Fludrocortisone
Severity: Minor
Cortisone and Fludrocortisone: minor interaction.
Last updated
For healthcare professionals — reference only. This page is a brief summary, not medical advice and not a substitute for official labeling or clinical judgement. Always verify before prescribing or dispensing.
Summary
Both drugs have corticosteroid activity with sodium-retaining effects, so combined use is additive and may cause fluid retention, hypertension and hypokalemia. This combination is routinely used in adrenal insufficiency, so the interaction is about total steroid dosing rather than metabolism.
What this interaction means in plain words
Cortisone and Fludrocortisone have a small, usually unimportant interaction. Most people can take both; the pharmacist may still mention it so that any unexpected effect is recognised.
Why it happens
Additive mineralocorticoid and glucocorticoid pharmacodynamic effects.
What to do
Titrate both doses to blood pressure, serum potassium and clinical status. Reduce doses if edema, hypertension or hypokalemia develop.
What to ask your pharmacist
- Is there anything I should notice while taking both?
- Do I need to tell my doctor at the next visit?
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Other interactions of Fludrocortisone
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Cortisone with Fludrocortisone?
MediHelp rates the interaction as minor. Cortisone and Fludrocortisone have a small, usually unimportant interaction. Most people can take both; the pharmacist may still mention it so that any unexpected effect is recognised. Both drugs have corticosteroid activity with sodium-retaining effects, so combined use is additive and may cause fluid retention, hypertension and hypokalemia. This combination is routinely used in adrenal insufficiency, so the interaction is about total steroid dosing rather than metabolism.
How serious is the interaction between Cortisone and Fludrocortisone?
MediHelp rates it minor, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Titrate both doses to blood pressure, serum potassium and clinical status. Reduce doses if edema, hypertension or hypokalemia develop.
What other medicines interact with Fludrocortisone?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Fludrocortisone with, for example, Mifepristone, Aldesleukin, Amphotericin b. The full list is on the Fludrocortisone page.
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