Dee asked
I’m weening off prednisone. How soon can I use Aleve? Does prednisone have to be out of the system?
Answer
Prednisone, an oral corticosteroid, is a commonly prescribed medication for a variety of indications including:
- Asthma exacerbations
- Allergic reactions
- Bronchitis
- Leukemia
- Addison's Disease
- Eczema
How Long Does Prednisone Stay In Your System
Prednisone is metabolized by the liver to the active metabolite prednisolone, so you have to considered both when determining how long the drug lasts in your system.
Prednisone has a reported plasma half-life of 3-4 hours while prednisolone has a plasma half life of 1-2 hours. In general, it takes around 5 to 6 half-lives for a drug to be considered completely eliminated from the blood plasma. Therefore, prednisone will be eliminated in 15-20 hours while prednisolone will be eliminated in 5-10 hours.
However, it is important to note that prednisolone, which is the active metabolite of prednisone, has a biological half-life of around 18-36 hours. This means that although it has been eliminated from the plasma in 5-10 hours, it is exerting effects in the body for 3-4 days. This is why prednisolone is suitable for once daily dosing.
What Affects How Long Prednisone Stays In Your System?
There are many factors that could ether shorten or lengthen how long prednisone and prednisolone stay in your system such as:
- How long you have been taking the drug
- Metabolism rate
- Age
- Body mass
Prednisone and prednisolone will stay in your system longer if you have been on the drug for a long time, have a slow metabolism, are older or have high body mass.
Prednisone And Drugs Interactions
In regard to the Aleve you state in your question, it is generally recommended that it should be avoided if you are taking prednisone, although there are exceptions.
Aleve (napoxen) is a NSAID medications used as an analgesic and anti-inflammatory. Use of Aleve and prednisone increases the risk of gastrointestinal side effects, such as:
- GI Inflammation
- GI ulceration
- GI bleeding
In addition, both prednisone and Aleve can have effects on electrolyte balance and can cause a decrease in serum potassium concentrations.
Nevertheless, some patients may need to be given prednisone and NSAIDs like Aleve at the same time if your doctor determines that is the best course of therapy. Generally, this can safely be done for short periods of time without significant problems. In your case, it may be okay to take Aleve as you are tapering off prednisone, but you should check with your doctor as they know your complete medical history.
As discussed above, the serum half life of prednisone (and prednisolone) is short and both will be eliminated from the blood in less than 24 hours. However, the biological effects of the drugs will last 3 to 4 days. If you wish to completely avoid Aleve while prednisone is having an effect on your body, it would be prudent to wait that amount of time.
Summary
- Prednisone has a plasma half-life of 3-4 hours.
- Prednisolone, the active metabolite of prednisone, has a plasma half-life of 1-2 hours.
- Although prednisolone has a short half-life, it has a longer biologic half-life of 18-36 hours.
- Prednisone interacts with NSAIDs like Aleve, increasing the risk of GI side effects.
