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Drug Details

EFCORTELAN

• Drug Class Description
  Mildly potent corticosteroids (topical steroids).
• Generic Name
  Hydrocortisone
• Presentation
  Cream/ointment, hydrocortisone 0.5%, 1%, 2.5%.
• Description
  Cream and ointment.
• Indications
  Eczema, lichen simplex, dermatitis, intertrigo.
• Adult Dosage
  

  A small quantity should be applied to the affected area two or three times daily.

  Efcortelan Cream is often appropriate for moist or weeping surfaces, and Efcortelan Ointment for dry-lichenified or scaly lesions, but this is not invariably so.

  For topical application.

• Contra Indications
  Use on acne (including rosacea), peri-oral dermatitis, scabies, leg ulcers, tuberculous, ringworm or viral skin disease. Untreated fungal or bacterial infections. Extensive or prolonged use in pregnancy. Continuous prophylactic use.
• Special Precautions
  

  In infants and children, long-term continuous topical therapy should be avoided where possible, as adrenal suppression can occur even without occlusion. In infants, the napkin may act as an occlusive dressing, and increase absorption. Treatment should therefore be limited, if possible, to a maximum of 7 days.

  Appropriate antimicrobial therapy should be used whenever treating inflammatory lesions which have become infected. Any spread of infection requires withdrawal of topical corticosteroid therapy, and systemic administration of antimicrobial agents.

  As with all corticosteroids, prolonged application to the face is undesirable.

• Adverse Drug Reactions
  

  Efcortelan preparations are usually well tolerated but if signs of hypersensitivity appear, application should be stopped immediately.

  Local atrophic changes may occur where skin folds are involved, or in areas such as the nappy area in small children, where constant moist conditions favour the absorption of hydrocortisone. Sufficient systemic absorption may also occur in such sites to produce the features of hypercorticism and suppression of the HPA axis after prolonged treatment.

  The effect is more likely to occur in infants and children, and if occlusive dressings are used.

  There are reports of pigmentation changes and hypertrichosis with topical steroids.

  Exacerbation of symptoms may occur.