Brand Name
Depo-medrol
Common Name
methylprednisolone
In this drug factsheet:
DIN (Drug Identification Number)| 01934325 | DEPO-MEDROL 20 MG/ML W/PRESERVATIVE |
| 00030759 | DEPO-MEDROL 40 MG/ML |
| 01934333 | DEPO-MEDROL 40 MG/ML W/PRESERVATIVE |
| 01934341 | DEPO-MEDROL 80 MG/ML W/PRESERVATIVE |
| 00030767 | DEPO-MEDROL 80 MG/ML |
How does this medication work? What will it do for me?
Methylprednisolone belongs to a group of medications called corticosteroids. Corticosteroids are hormones that are produced naturally in our body, and necessary for many important bodily functions. Methylprednisolone is a synthetic (manmade) corticosteroid medication that has been developed to imitate the actions of naturally occurring corticosteroid hormones in the body. A particularly important action of methlyprednisolone is to relieve inflammation that causes symptoms such as swelling, itching, and redness.
Symptoms of inflammation are often seen with allergic reactions such as severe allergic skin reactions, reactions to insect bites, and anaphylaxis (a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction). Other conditions and symptoms associated with inflammation can also be treated with corticosteroids. These include painful swollen joints caused by arthritis, and relief of asthma symptoms caused by inflamed breathing passages. Methylprednisolone may also be used to treat people who are not able to produce enough of their own corticosteroid naturally (e.g., Addison's disease). Additional conditions that may be treated with methylprednisolone include severe skin conditions (e.g., psoriasis), certain eye conditions, ulcerative colitis, certain blood disorders, leukemia, lupus, and multiple sclerosis.
Your doctor may have suggested this medication for conditions other than the ones listed in these drug information articles. As well, some forms of this medication may not be used for all of the conditions discussed here. If you have not discussed this with your doctor or are not sure why you are taking this medication, speak to your doctor. Do not stop taking this medication without consulting your doctor.
Do not give this medication to anyone else, even if they have the same symptoms as you do. It can be harmful for people to take this medication if their doctor has not prescribed it.
How should I use this medication?
The recommended dose of methylprednisolone varies widely depending on the condition being treated, response to the medication, the form of the medication being used, the age and size of the person using the medication, and individual circumstances. Injectable medications are given either into a muscle, into a joint, or into a vein by a qualified health professional.
The dose of the tablet form may range from 4 mg to 48 mg of methylprednisolone daily, or even much higher depending on the specific condition being treated. Taking this medication with food will help to prevent stomach upset.
Many things can affect the dose of a medication that a person needs, such as body weight, other medical conditions, and other medications. If your doctor has recommended a dose different from the ones listed here, do not change the way that you are taking the medication without consulting your doctor.
It is important to use this medication exactly as prescribed by your doctor. If you miss a dose of the medication and are taking the medication once a day, but don't remember until the next day, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. If you are taking the medication more than once daily, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular schedule. Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one.
Store this medication at room temperature, protect it from freezing, and keep it out of the reach of children.
Do not dispose of medications in wastewater (e.g. down the sink or in the toilet) or in household garbage. Ask your pharmacist how to dispose of medications that are no longer needed or have expired.
What form(s) does this medication come in?
Multidose Vials
20 mg
Each mL of sterile suspension contains methylprednisolone acetate 20 mg. Nonmedicinal ingredients: dibasic sodium phosphate, monobasic sodium phosphate, polyethylene glycol, polysorbate 80, sodium chloride to adjust tonicity and benzyl alcohol as a preservative. When necessary, pH was adjusted with sodium hydroxide and/or hydrochloric acid. Vials of 5 mL.
40 mg
Each mL of sterile suspension contains methylprednisolone acetate 40 mg. Nonmedicinal ingredients: dibasic sodium phosphate, monobasic sodium phosphate, polyethylene glycol, polysorbate 80, sodium chloride to adjust tonicity and benzyl alcohol as a preservative. When necessary, pH was adjusted with sodium hydroxide and/or hydrochloric acid. Vials of 2 and 5 mL.
80 mg
Each mL of sterile suspension contains methylprednisolone acetate 80 mg. Nonmedicinal ingredients: dibasic sodium phosphate, monobasic sodium phosphate, polyethylene glycol, polysorbate 80, sodium chloride to adjust tonicity and benzyl alcohol as a preservative. When necessary, pH was adjusted with sodium hydroxide and/or hydrochloric acid. Vials of 5 mL.
Single Use Vials
40 mg
Each mL of sterile suspension contains methylprednisolone acetate 40 mg. Nonmedicinal ingredients: myristyl gamma picolinium chloride (MGPC), polyethylene glycol and sodium chloride to adjust the tonicity. When necessary, pH was adjusted with sodium hydroxide and/or hydrochloric acid. Vials of 1 mL.
80 mg
Each mL of sterile suspension contains methylprednisolone acetate 80 mg. Nonmedicinal ingredients: myristyl gamma picolinium chloride (MGPC), polyethylene glycol and sodium chloride to adjust the tonicity. When necessary, pH was adjusted with sodium hydroxide and/or hydrochloric acid. Vials of 1 mL.
Some medications may have other generic brands available. Always ask your doctor or pharmacist about the safety of switching between brands of the same medication.
Who should NOT take this medication?
Methylprednisolone should not be used by anyone who:
- is allergic to methylprednisolone or to any of the ingredients of the medication
- has acute psychoses
- has chicken pox
- has herpes simplex keratitis
- has Cushing's syndrome
- has peptic ulcer
- has systemic (in the blood) fungal infections
- has tuberculosis
- has vaccinia (reaction to smallpox vaccine)
- has very high creatinine levels in the blood
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