Doctors prescribe steroid tablets despite known side effects due to therapeutic necessity
Evidence indicates that doctors continue to prescribe steroid tablets and systemic corticosteroids for severe inflammatory and acute conditions due to therapeutic necessity, carefully weighing the potential adverse effects against critical clinical benefits.
The retrieved literature consistently demonstrates that systemic corticosteroids are widely prescribed to manage acute, severe, or life-threatening conditions (such as severe respiratory illness, pneumonia, and acute inflammatory flares) where their anti-inflammatory or life-saving benefits outweigh the well-documented side effects and risks. None of the papers refute the premise of therapeutic necessity; instead, they discuss the necessity of balancing these benefits against known adverse events or tailoring prescribing practices.
Tsai HJ, Yao TC. Revisiting the safety of short-term systemic corticosteroids.. 2026. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bj.2026.100962
Short-term systemic corticosteroids are widely prescribed to manage acute inflammatory conditions and flare-ups despite recognized risks, requiring clinicians to balance therapeutic benefits against potential harms.
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Ali K, Aljarbou T, Algarni S, Alkaabi M, Mandurah A, Alasmari H, Alshareedah S, Alsubaie A, Almutairi M, Almuqati R, Alanazi I, Halabi S, Almutairi O, Homedi A, Alsaif S. Real-world use of hydrocortisone and dexamethasone in the prevention and treatment of bronchopulmonary dysplasia in preterm infants <32 weeks: a nine-year cohort study.. 2026. https://doi.org/10.3389/fped.2026.1840133
Postnatal corticosteroids are primarily utilized in infants with severe respiratory disease where the therapeutic necessity outweighs observed associated morbidity risks in high-risk populations.
Thompson D, Zafar S, Berkenstock M. Incidence and clinical characterization of retinal detachment in acute retinal necrosis: a global federated database analysis.. 2026. https://doi.org/10.3389/fopht.2026.1829400
Aggressive combination therapy involving systemic corticosteroids is administered in severe cases like acute retinal necrosis, where treatment exposures serve as proxies for underlying disease severity.
Morales-Olivera JA, Narvaez-Ramirez PO, Bustos IG, Martinez-Lemus LF, Sanabria-Herrera N, Serrano-Mayorga CC, Aguirre Gutierrez V, Forero-Delgadillo AJ, Mendez-Castillo LM, Montaño GS, Reyes LF. Corticosteroids in immunocompromised ICU patients with pneumonia: risks, evidence, and clinical practice.. 2026. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41479-026-00202-5
Adjunctive corticosteroids are used in severe conditions such as severe community-acquired pneumonia or Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia to attenuate inflammation-mediated lung injury, demonstrating therapeutic necessity despite potential risks.
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