Prednisone

Drug Name
Prednisone

Brand Name(s)
Winpred®, generics

Drug Class
Corticosteroid

Prednisone is a steroid used to treat inflammatory types of arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA), ankylosing spondylitis (AS), juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), acute gouty arthritis, lupus, and polymyalgia rheumatica. It is a potent and fast-acting anti-inflammatory agent, but can cause stomach upset and long-term use can cause diabetes, weight gain, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, and mood changes.

This information was last updated in June 2024 with expert review and advice by:

Alan Low, BSc(Pharm), PharmD, ACPR, FCSHP, CCD, RPh
Clinical Professor, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia
Pharmacy Lead and Primary Care Pharmacist, BioPro Biologics Pharmacy 
Care Director, MedInfuse Health

Garrett Tang, PharmD, RPh
Pharmacist Services Coordinator, MedInfuse Health

We also thank previous expert contributor:

Jason Kielly, BSc(Pharm), PharmD
Assistant Professor, School of Pharmacy, Memorial University of Newfoundland
Clinical Pharmacist, Rheumatic Health Program, Eastern Health

Go Back to Drug Index