prednisone vs theophylline
Side-by-side comparison of prednisone and theophylline. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
major Known Drug Interaction
albuterol, systemic and inhaled mebendazole amoxicillin medroxyprogesterone ampicillin, with or without sulbactam methylprednisolone atenolol metronidazole azithromycin metoprolol caffeine, dietary ingestion nadolol cefaclor nifedipine co-trimoxazole (trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole) nizatidine diltiazem norfloxacin dirithromycin ofloxacin enflurane omeprazole famotidine prednisone, prednisolone felodipine ranitidine finasteride rifabutin hydrocortisone roxithromycin isoflurane Sorbitol (purgative doses do not inhibit theophylline absorption) isoniazid sucralfate isradipine terbutaline,...
Recommendation: Your doctor likely does not need to adjust your theophylline dose while you take this medicine.
Deltasone, Rayos
Theo-24, Elixophyllin
Prednisone is a steroid medicine that reduces inflammation in the body. It can treat many different conditions.
Theophylline is a medicine that helps you breathe easier. It treats the symptoms of asthma and other lung problems.
Prednisone treats conditions like arthritis, severe allergies, asthma, skin problems, and certain cancers. It can also help with lung diseases and problems with your hormone levels. Prednisone can also be used to reduce protein in the urine due to kidney problems.
Theophylline treats the symptoms of long-term asthma and other lung diseases. These include emphysema and chronic bronchitis, which make it hard to breathe. This medicine helps to open up your airways so you can breathe easier.
Prednisone is a corticosteroid that works by decreasing inflammation. It suppresses your immune system, which reduces swelling and other immune responses. This helps control the symptoms of various diseases.
Theophylline is a bronchodilator. It works by relaxing the muscles in your airways. This allows more air to flow in and out of your lungs.
- • Fluid retention
- • Mood changes
- • Weight gain
- • Increased appetite
- • High blood pressure
- • Nausea
- • Vomiting
- • Headache
- • Trouble sleeping (insomnia)
- Feeling tired 39,610
- Aches and discomfort 36,922
- Difficulty breathing 33,812
- Joint pain 32,401
- The condition got worse 27,785
- Difficulty breathing 2,273
- Asthma 1,942
- Pneumonia 1,317
- Wheezing 1,306
- Vomiting 1,101
If you take prednisone for a long time, your body may not produce enough of its own natural steroids. This can make it hard for your body to respond to stress, like during an illness or surgery. You should not stop taking prednisone suddenly, as this can cause serious withdrawal symptoms.
If your theophylline levels get too high in your blood, it can cause serious side effects. These include severe vomiting, irregular heartbeats, and seizures. These can be life-threatening.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding. Prednisone may harm an unborn baby. It can also pass into breast milk and may affect the nursing infant.
It is not known if theophylline can harm an unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is also not known if theophylline passes into breast milk, so talk to your doctor if you are breastfeeding.
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How to Read This prednisone vs theophylline Comparison
prednisone is classified in the Corticosteroid drug class, while theophylline sits within the Methylxanthine Bronchodilator class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.
Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, prednisone has 170,530 submissions while theophylline has 7,939. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. These two drugs have a known major interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to prednisone does not change the speed at which theophylline leaves your system.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.
A table cannot substitute for clinical judgment. Effectiveness, tolerability, drug-drug interactions with your other medications, kidney and liver function, pregnancy status, insurance formulary, and price all feed into a decision that only a licensed prescriber can make responsibly. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This page is for educational purposes only, is not medical advice, and should not be used to self-switch between prednisone and theophylline - always consult your physician or pharmacist first.
Important: This comparison is for informational purposes only. Drug effects vary between individuals. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist for personalized medical advice.