Prednisolone dosage guide: Forms, strengths, and more

Prednisolone comes as an oral tablet and oral solution. It also comes as eye drops, but this article does not cover this form. It’s usually taken once per day.

Prednisolone is a genericmedication and belongs to a drug class called corticosteroids. Prednisolone is not available in a brand-name version.

This article describes the dosages of prednisolone, as well as its strengths and how to take it.

The following information describes dosages that are commonly used or recommended for prednisolone. Be sure to take the dosage your doctor prescribes for you. They’ll determine the best dosage to fit your needs. In some cases, doctors may adjust your dosage from those mentioned here.

The prescribed prednisolone dosage may vary depending on the condition it’s being used to treat and its severity. Always follow your prescribing doctor’s instructions. Notify them if you experience any side effects that may prevent you from taking your medication.

The typical prednisolone dosage for adults, regardless of the condition, can be anywhere from 5 mg to 60 mg, depending on the severity of the condition. In less severe cases, lower doses are typically preferred. The doctor may adjust your dosage over time to reach the desired outcome for your condition.

Once a favorable outcome has been reached with treatment and symptoms are being managed, doctors usually reduce the dosage in small increments to the lowest possible dose that still works to manage the condition. This will then be the maintenance dose.

The dosage of prednisolone for infants and children will also depend on the condition being treated and its severity. The dosage range for children is the same as the dosage for adults: 5 mg to 60 mg per day. Doctors aim to use the lowest effective dosage.

For more information about prednisolone’s dosage for children, talk with your child’s doctor or a pharmacist.

Your doctor or pharmacist will advise you how to take prednisolone. Typically, recommendations for taking prednisolone include:

Prednisolone can be a short-term or long-term treatment. Your doctor can advise how long to take prednisolone based on your specific condition.

Your doctor may suggest alternate-day dosing if they think you’ll need to take prednisolone long term. With alternate-day dosing, you’ll take a higher dose of prednisolone every other day. This may help lower the risk of certain long-term side effects that are possible with corticosteroid drugs, including prednisolone.

Do not take more prednisolone than your doctor prescribes, as this can lead to harmful effects.

Call your doctor right away if you think you’ve taken too much prednisolone. You can also call 800-222-1222 to reach America’s Poison Centers or use its online resource. But if you have severe symptoms, immediately call 911 (or your local emergency number) or go to the nearest emergency room.

Here are answers to some commonly asked questions about prednisolone’s dosage.

In some cases, doctors may recommend alternate-day therapy for prednisolone. This is where you take twice the daily dosage of prednisolone on every alternate morning. Doctors may recommend this for people undergoing long-term treatment.

Alternate-day therapy can provide the beneficial effects of prednisolone while reducing the risk of certain adverse effects, including pituitary–adrenal suppression, Cushing syndrome, corticoid withdrawal symptoms, and growth suppression in children.

If you miss a dose of prednisolone, take it as soon as you remember. But if it’s almost time to take your next dose, skip the missed dose and take your next dose at its regular time. You should not take two doses at once to make up for a missed dose. Doing so could raise your risk of side effects.

If you’re not sure whether you should take a missed dose or skip it, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. To help make sure you don’t miss a dose, try using a medication reminder. You could also download a reminder app on your phone.

Disclaimer: Medical News Today has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.