Steroids
Oral steroids, often known as "glucocorticoids," are drugs that are taken orally and are used to treat a number of medical conditions. These include autoimmune illnesses (such as rheumatoid arthritis), allergic reactions, and flare-ups of asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (also called "COPD"). If you are unable to swallow pills or are in the hospital, steroid drugs can be given through an "IV." A thin tube placed into a vein is known as an intravenous (IV) line.
Some people must take oral steroids for the remainder of their lives to treat a condition known as "Addison's disease." In this condition, the body does not create enough of the hormone "cortisol."
Other steroid drugs are available as inhalers, nasal sprays, creams, or ointments administered to the skin. These are often known as "corticosteroids."
