[Drug interactions with corticoids].

Corticosteroids, as far as they are not being used as endocrinological substitutes, are usually prescribed in combination therapy with other non-steroidal drugs in order to cut down on the well known side-effects of a steroid therapy. Most of the patients needing cortisone derivatives also require additional drugs to therapy other diseases of which they are suffering at the same time. Because of this fact, the possibility of drug interactions is indeed a great one. Even though, theoretically, these may be numerous, however, only a few are of practical relevancy. Caution is recommended when simultaneously giving corticosteroids and barbiturates, anticonvulsive agents, rifampicin, cholinesterase inhibitors, non-steroid antirheumatics, and last, but not least, saluretics and laxatives. Patients having low serum protein levels must also receive lower cortisone dosage.