GLUCOCORTICOID TAPERING: PITFALLS TO AVOID AND SHARED CLINICAL EXPERIENCE

Adrenal insufficiency is a fairly common and undesirable complication in patients undergoing long term corticosteroid therapy. This necessitates specific prescribing guidelines as well as measures for evaluating, diagnosing, and managing complications related to damage to the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Therefore, in this paper, we have attempted to highlight the clinical symptoms, laboratory tests, and best practice recommendations necessary for both the appropriate prescribing and optimal management of corticosteroid therapy and such a delicate yet critical complication as adrenal insufficiency.