Green Pages Where There Is No Doctor 2011 385
Prednisolone or prednisone
Name:_________________________________________
Often comes in:
tablets of 5 mg., 25 mg., and other sizes
price:_________________ for_ ___________________
liquid of 5 mg./ml.
price:_________________ for_ ___________________
Prednisolone and prednisone are cortico-streroids,
strong anti-inflammatory medicines, that can treat
severe asthma.
Caution: Prednisolone and prednisone should only
be used for severe asthma attacks. Cortico-steroids
can have very dangerous side effects, especially
if used for more than a couple of weeks. They also
lower a person’s defenses against infection, can
make you feel anxious, and make it hard to sleep.
Dosage of prednisolone and prednisone for severe
asthma.
Give the first dose right away, then take every
morning for 3 to 7 days. In each dose give:
adults and children over 8: 30 to 60 mg.
children 3 to 7 years: 20 to 40 mg.
children under 3: 10 to 20 mg.
Do not give more than 60 mg. a day.
Epinephrine (adrenaline, Adrenalin)
Name:__________________ price:________ for_ ______
Often comes in: ampules of 1 mg. in 1 ml.
Epinephrine should be used for:
1. severe attacks of asthma when there is trouble
breathing and other medicines are not available.
2. severe allergic reactions or allergic shock due
to penicillin injections, tetanus antitoxin, or other
antitoxins made from horse serum (see p. 70).
Dosage of epinephrine for asthma—using ampules
of 1 mg. in 1 ml. of liquid—
First count the pulse. Then inject just under the skin:
adults: 1⁄3 ml.
children 7 to 12 years: 1⁄5 ml.
children 1 to 6 years: 1⁄10 ml.
children under 1 year: DO NOT GIVE
You can repeat the dose every ½ hour if needed,
up to 3 times.
Dosage of epinephrine for allergic shock—using
ampules of 1 mg. in 1 ml. of liquid—
Inject into the muscle:
adults: ½ ml.
children 7 to 12 years: 1⁄3 ml.
children 1 to 6 years: ¼ ml.
children under 1 year: DO NOT GIVE
If needed, a second dose can be given after
half an hour, and a third dose in another half hour.
Do not give more than 3 doses. If the pulse goes
up by more than 30 beats per minute after the first
injection, do not give another dose.
In using epinephrine, be careful never to give
more than the recommended amount.
FOR ALLERGIC REACTIONS
AND VOMITING: THE ANTIHISTAMINES
Antihistamines are medicines that affect the
body in several ways:
1. They help calm or prevent allergic reactions,
such as itchy rashes or lumps on the skin, hives,
‘hay fever’, and allergic shock.
2. They help prevent or control motion sickness or
vomiting.
3. They often cause sleepiness (sedation). Avoid
doing dangerous work, operating machines, or
drinking alcohol when taking antihistamines.
Promethazine (Phenergan) and diphenhydramine
(Benadryl) are strong antihistamines that cause a
lot of sleepiness. Dimenhydrinate (Dramamine) is
similar to diphenhydramine and is most used for
motion sickness. However, for vomiting due to other
causes, promethazine often works better.
Chlorpheniramine is a less expensive
antihistamine and causes less sleepiness. For this
reason, it is sometimes best to use chlorpheniramine
to calm itching in the daytime. Promethazine is
useful at night because it encourages sleep at the
same time that it calms the itching.
There is no proof that the antihistamines do any
good for the common cold. They are often used more
than they need to be. They should not be used much.
Antihistamines should not be used for asthma,
because they make the mucus thicker and can
make breathing more difficult.
One antihistamine is all that is usually needed
in a medical kit. Promethazine is a good choice.
Because it is not always available, doses for other
antihistamines are also given.
As a general rule, antihistamines are best
given by mouth. Injections should be used only
to help control severe vomiting or before giving
antitoxins (for tetanus, snakebite, etc.) when there
is special danger of allergic shock. For children, it
is often best to give a rectal suppository.