Drug interactions
Insulin degludec / insulin aspart + Prednisone
Severity: Moderate
Insulin degludec / insulin aspart and Prednisone: moderate 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
Prednisone raises blood glucose by increasing insulin resistance and hepatic glucose output. Patients on insulin may need higher doses, especially with higher-dose or prolonged steroid therapy, and may become hypoglycemic when the steroid is tapered.
What this interaction means in plain words
Insulin degludec / insulin aspart and Prednisone can affect each other. The combination is often manageable, but it may need a change of dose, a change of timing, or extra checks while both are taken.
Why it happens
Glucocorticoids antagonize insulin action through peripheral insulin resistance and increased gluconeogenesis.
What to do
Increase blood glucose monitoring when starting prednisone and adjust insulin doses, particularly prandial insulin. Reduce insulin again as the steroid is tapered.
What to ask your pharmacist
- Should I take them at different times of day?
- Does the dose of either medicine need to change?
- Is there anything I should avoid, such as alcohol or certain foods, while on both?
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Other interactions of Prednisone
- Bcg vaccine live + Prednisone Contraindicated
- Measles vaccine + Prednisone Contraindicated
- Mifepristone + Prednisone Contraindicated
- Prednisone + Radium-223 dichloride Contraindicated
- Prednisone + Smallpox vaccine live Contraindicated
- Adenovirus types 4 and 7 live + Prednisone Major
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Insulin degludec / insulin aspart with Prednisone?
MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Insulin degludec / insulin aspart and Prednisone can affect each other. The combination is often manageable, but it may need a change of dose, a change of timing, or extra checks while both are taken. Prednisone raises blood glucose by increasing insulin resistance and hepatic glucose output. Patients on insulin may need higher doses, especially with higher-dose or prolonged steroid therapy, and may become hypoglycemic when the steroid is tapered.
How serious is the interaction between Insulin degludec / insulin aspart and Prednisone?
MediHelp rates it moderate, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Increase blood glucose monitoring when starting prednisone and adjust insulin doses, particularly prandial insulin. Reduce insulin again as the steroid is tapered.
What other medicines interact with Prednisone?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Prednisone with, for example, Bcg vaccine live, Measles vaccine, Mifepristone. The full list is on the Prednisone page.
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