Important: This page is general information, not medical advice. It does not recommend or prescribe any treatment. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine.
Quick facts
- How it is given
- oral
- Type
- human prescription drug
- RxNorm ID
- 828248
We do not publish dosing. How much of this medicine to take, how often, and for how long depends on your age, weight, kidney and liver function, other conditions and other medicines. That is a decision for the person who prescribes or dispenses it. Follow the directions on your own pack and ask your pharmacist if anything is unclear.
What it is used to treat
INDICATIONS AND USAGE: When oral therapy is not feasible: 1. Endocrine Disorders Primary or secondary adrenocortical insufficiency (hydrocortisone or cortisone is the first choice; synthetic analogs may be used in conjunction with mineralocorticoids where applicable; in infancy mineralocorticoid supplementation is of particular importance). Congenital adrenal hyperplasia Nonsuppurative thyroiditis Hypercalcemia associated with cancer 2. Rheumatic Disorders As adjunctive therapy for short-term administration (to tide the patient over an acute episode or exacerbation) in: Psoriatic arthritis Rheumatoid arthritis, including juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (selected cases may require low-dose maintenance therapy) Ankylosing spondylitis Acute and subacute bursitis Acute nonspecific tenosynovitis Acute gouty arthritis Post-traumatic osteoarthritis Synovitis of osteoarthritis Epicondylitis 3. Collagen Diseases During an exacerbation or as maintenance therapy in selected cases of: Systemic lupus erythematosus Acute rheumatic carditis Systemic dermatomyositis (polymyositis) 4. Dermatologic Diseases Pemphigus Bullous dermatitis herpetiformis Severe erythema multiforme (Stevens-Johnson syndrome) Exfoliative dermatitis Mycosis fungoides Severe psoriasis Severe seborrheic dermatitis 5. Allergic States Control of severe or incapacitating allergic conditions intractable to adequate trials of conventional treatment in: Seasonal or perennial allergic rhinitis Bronchial asthma Contact dermatitis Atopic dermatitis Serum sickness Drug hypersensitivity reactions 6. Ophthalmic Diseases Severe acute and chronic allergic and inflammatory processes involving the eye and its adnexa, such as: Allergic conjunctivitis Keratitis Allergic corneal marginal ulcers Herpes zoster ophthalmicus Iritis and iridocyclitis Chorioretinitis Anterior segment inflammation Diffuse posterior uveitis and choroiditis Optic neuritis Sympathetic ophthalmia 7. Respiratory Diseases Symptomatic sarcoidosis Loeffler’s syndrome not manageable by other means Berylliosis Fulminating or disseminated pulmonary tuberculosis when used concurrently with appropriate antituberculosis chemotherapy Aspiration pneumonitis 8. […]
About this medicine
DESCRIPTION: Glucocorticoids are adrenocortical steroids, both naturally occurring and synthetic, which are readily absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. Cortisone acetate is a white or practically white, odorless, crystalline powder. It is stable in air. It is insoluble in water. The molecular weight is 402.48. It is designated chemically as 17,21-Dihydroxypregn-4-ene-3,11,20-trione 21-acetate. The molecular formula is C 23 H 30 O 6 and the structural formula is: Each tablet, for oral administration, contains 25 mg of cortisone acetate. Inactive ingredients are lactose monohydrate, corn starch, sucrose, and calcium stearate. image description
Who should not take it
CONTRAINDICATIONS: • Systemic fungal infections • Hypersensitivity to this product
Warnings
WARNINGS: In patients on corticosteroid therapy subjected to unusual stress, increased dosage of rapidly acting corticosteroids before, during, and after the stressful situation is indicated. Immunosuppression and Increased Risk of Infection Corticosteroids, including cortisone acetate tablets, suppress the immune system and increase the risk of infection with any pathogen, including viral, bacterial, fungal, protozoan, or helminthic pathogens. Corticosteroids can; Reduce resistance to new infections Exacerbate existing infections Increase the risk of disseminated infections Increase the risk of reactivation or exacerbation of latent infections Mask some signs of infection Corticosteroid-associated infections can be mild but can be severe and at times fatal. The rate of infectious complication increases with increasing corticosteroid dosages. Monitor for the development of infection and consider cortisone acetate tablets withdrawal or dosage reduction as needed. Tuberculosis If cortisone acetate tablets are used to treat a condition in patients with latent tuberculosis or tuberculin reactivity, reactivation of tuberculosis may occur. Closely monitor such patients for reactivation. During prolonged cortisone acetate therapy, patients with latent tuberculosis or tuberculin reactivity should receive chemoprophylaxis. Varicella Zoster and Measles Viral Infections Varicella and measles can have a serious or even fatal course in non-immune patients taking corticosteroids, including cortisone acetate tablets. In corticosteroid-treated patients who have not had these diseases or are nonimmune, particular care should be taken to avoid exposure to varicella and measles: If a cortisone acetate tablets-treated patient is exposed to varicella, prophylaxis with varicella zoster immune globulin may be indicated. If varicella develops, treatment with antiviral agents may be considered. If a cortisone acetate tablets-treated patient is exposed to measles, prophylaxis with immunoglobulin may be indicated. […]
Reported side effects
ADVERSE REACTIONS: Fluid and Electrolyte Disturbances Sodium retention Fluid retention Congestive heart failure in susceptible patients Potassium loss Hypokalemic alkalosis Hypertension Musculoskeletal Muscle weakness Steroid myopathy Loss of muscle mass Osteoporosis Vertebral compression fractures Aseptic necrosis of femoral and humeral heads Pathologic fracture of long bones Tendon rupture Gastrointestinal Peptic ulcer with possible perforation and hemorrhage Perforation of the small and large bowel, particularly in patients with inflammatory bowel disease Pancreatitis Abdominal distention Ulcerative esophagitis Dermatologic Impaired wound healing Thin fragile skin Petechiae and ecchymoses Erythema Increased sweating May suppress reactions to skin tests Other cutaneous reactions, such as allergic dermatitis, urticaria, angioneurotic edema Neurologic Convulsions Increased intracranial pressure with papilledema (pseudotumor cerbri) usually after treatment Vertigo Headache Psychic disturbances Endocrine Menstrual irregularities Development of cushingoid state Suppression of growth in children Secondary adrenocortical and pituitary unresponsiveness, particularly in times of stress, as in trauma, surgery, or illness Decreased carbohydrate tolerance Manifestations of latent diabetes mellitus Increased requirements for insulin or oral hypoglycemic agents in diabetics Hirsutism Ophthalmic Posterior subcapsular cataracts Increased intraocular pressure Glaucoma Exophthalmos Metabolic Negative nitrogen balance due to protein catabolism Other Hypersensitivity Thromboembolism Weight gain Increased appetite Nausea Malaise To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Chartwell RX, LLC. Corp. at 1-845-232-1683, or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.
Before you take anything new
Tell your pharmacist or doctor about every medicine you take — including ones bought without a prescription, herbal products and supplements. Interactions are one of the most common avoidable causes of harm from medicines, and a pharmacist can check your full list in a couple of minutes.
This page is built from the openFDA record of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's approved labelling for this product, effective 6 June 2025. Label text has been shortened and reformatted for readability; safety wording has not been altered in meaning. FDA labelling describes products approved in the United States — brand names, strengths, formulations and approved uses may differ in your country. Always read the leaflet that comes with your own pack. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and is not endorsed by, the FDA. Retrieved 2026-07-30.