Prescription medication · Corticosteroid
dexamethasone
Also sold as Decadron. This medicine treats many conditions, including allergies, skin problems, and breathing issues.
Data updated 2026-05-15
- 285,895
- FDA reportsHeavily reported
- 21
- InteractionsSeveral interactions
- In shortage
- FDA status
What the data shows
dexamethasone (Decadron) is a prescription Corticosteroid, in the top 5% of tracked drugs by FAERS report volume (285,895 FDA reports), with 21 documented drug interactions.
Reporting volume reflects how widely a drug is used and studied, not how dangerous it is, a FAERS report documents a temporal association, never proof of cause.
dexamethasone (Decadron) is a prescription Corticosteroid. This medicine treats many conditions, including allergies, skin problems, and breathing issues.
Dexamethasone (Decadron) is a corticosteroid medicine. It helps reduce inflammation and suppress the immune system.
Verify with FDA → · CMS NADAC pricing →
Drug Shortage Alert
dexamethasone is currently listed as in shortage by the FDA. Affected manufacturer: Somerset Therapeutics, LLC. Status: Available.
View all drug shortages →Drug Pricing (NADAC)
Generic Price
$7.08/unit
Generic Available
Yes (40 manufacturers)
Pricing data from NADAC (CMS), effective December 18, 2024. Compare all drug costs →
What it does
This medicine treats many conditions, including allergies, skin problems, and breathing issues.
Common side effects
Increased appetite, Weight gain, Fluid retention
Key warnings
If you have a systemic fungal infection, you should not take this medicine.
The sections below are summarized in plain English from dexamethasone's FDA-approved prescribing information. They describe what the official label says, and are not personal medical advice.
How It Works
Dexamethasone works by decreasing inflammation in the body. It also changes how your immune system works. This can help reduce symptoms of various conditions.
Side Effects (from patient reports)
Based on 285,895 FDA adverse event reports.
Most-reported reactions
Adverse reactions in FAERS for dexamethasone, by number of reports
- Fatigue
Fatigue
16,525 reports
- Diarrhoea
Diarrhoea
16,515 reports
- Plasma Cell Myeloma
Plasma Cell Myeloma
13,768 reports
- Nausea
Nausea
13,495 reports
- Pneumonia
Pneumonia
13,291 reports
- Death
Death
13,013 reports
- Neutropenia
Neutropenia
11,217 reports
- Pyrexia
Pyrexia
10,596 reports
- Thrombocytopenia
Thrombocytopenia
10,251 reports
- Dyspnoea
Dyspnoea
9,899 reports
What this shows Bars show how often each reaction was reported, not how likely it is to happen, a report records a temporal association, never proof that the drug caused it.
Reports over time
Adverse-event reports filed for dexamethasone each year to the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS).
Year-to-year volume tracks usage, prescribing, and scrutiny, not a change in per-patient risk. Source: FDA FAERS.
Where dexamethasone sits
dexamethasone has more FDA adverse-event reports than 97% of the drugs FAERS tracks. A high position reflects how widely a drug is used and watched, not how dangerous it is.
Percentile across all drugs PlainMeds tracks by FAERS report volume. The dot is dexamethasone; the line is the median (50th percentile).
FDA Adverse Event Report Analysis
Detailed analysis of 285,895 reports from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Reports span 1999–2025.
Total Reports
285,895
Reports Mentioning Death
46,323
16.2% of reports — not proof of cause
Hospitalization Reports
109,720
Top Indication
Plasma Cell Myeloma
Gender Distribution
Age Distribution
Most Reported Adverse Reactions (FAERS)
| # | Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | FATIGUE | 16,525 |
| 3 | DIARRHOEA | 16,515 |
| 4 | PLASMA CELL MYELOMA | 13,768 |
| 5 | NAUSEA | 13,495 |
| 6 | PNEUMONIA | 13,291 |
| 7 | DEATH | 13,013 |
| 9 | NEUTROPENIA | 11,217 |
| 10 | PYREXIA | 10,596 |
| 11 | THROMBOCYTOPENIA | 10,251 |
| 12 | DYSPNOEA | 9,899 |
| 13 | ANAEMIA | 8,771 |
| 14 | FEBRILE NEUTROPENIA | 8,704 |
| 15 | ASTHENIA | 8,523 |
| 16 | VOMITING | 8,506 |
| 17 | NEUROPATHY PERIPHERAL | 8,250 |
Reactions in Death Reports
Reactions in Hospitalization Reports
Source: FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) Reports are voluntary and do not establish causation
Serious Warnings
If you have a systemic fungal infection, you should not take this medicine. Long-term use can also make it harder for your body to respond to stress.
Known Drug Interactions
Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Agents (NSAIDS): Concomitant use of aspirin (or other nonsteroidal ant i nflammatory agents) and corticosteroids increases the risk of gastrointestinal side effects. Aspirin should be used cautiously in conjunction with corticosteroids in hypoprothrombinemia.
Mechanism: Both of these drugs can irritate the lining of your stomach and digestive tract. Taking them together makes it more likely that you will develop stomach pain, ulcers, or bleeding.
Drugs which inhibit CYP 3A4 (e.g., ketoconazole, macrolide antibiotics such as erythromycin) have the potential to result in increased plasma concentrations of corticosteroids. Ketoconazole: Ketoconazole has been reported to decrease the metabolism of certain corticosteroids by up to 60%, leading to increased risk of corticosteroid side effects. In addition, ketoconazole alone can inhibit adrenal corticosteroid synthesis and may cause adrenal insufficiency during corticosteroid withdrawal.
Mechanism: Ketoconazole slows down how your body breaks down the steroid, which can cause the medicine to build up to high levels. This increases your risk of having serious side effects from the steroid.
Corticosteroids primarily metabolized by CYP3A betamethasone, budesonide, ciclesonide, dexamethasone, fluticasone, methylprednisolone, mometasone, triamcinolone ↑ corticosteroid Co-administration with corticosteroids (all routes of administration) of which exposures are significantly increased by strong CYP3A inhibitors can increase the risk for Cushing’s syndrome and adrenal suppression.
Mechanism: Ritonavir blocks the enzyme that breaks down dexamethasone, which can cause the steroid to build up to high levels in your body.
Anticoagulants, Oral: Co-administration of corticosteroids and warfarin usually results in inhibition of response to warfarin, although there have been some conflicting reports.
Mechanism: Dexamethasone can interfere with how warfarin works, often making it less effective. This could make your blood more likely to clot.
Cyclosporine: Increased activity of both cyclosporine and corticosteroids may occur when the two are used concurrently.
Mechanism: These two drugs can make each other more powerful when taken at the same time. This increases the chance of having side effects from both medicines.
This is a plain-language summary of FDA-label interaction records and does not provide individual medication-combination directions.
Common Questions
Can I stop taking dexamethasone suddenly?
Does dexamethasone interact with other medicines?
Can dexamethasone affect my blood sugar?
What should I do if I experience side effects?
Can dexamethasone weaken my bones?
Is it safe to get vaccines while taking dexamethasone?
Can dexamethasone cause mood changes?
Does dexamethasone affect my immune system?
Can children take dexamethasone?
What do the numbers on the tablets mean?
What are the common side effects of dexamethasone?
Does dexamethasone interact with other medications?
What drug class is dexamethasone?
What pregnancy or breastfeeding source fields are listed for dexamethasone?
Has dexamethasone been recalled?
Is dexamethasone currently in shortage?
Active Recalls
Failed Impurities/Degradation Specifications - OOS impurities result observed during long term stability testing at product expiry (24 months) were above specs for these impurities: Dexamethasone Sodium Phosphate EP impurity G (Impurity RU 49336) and dexamethasone formate.
SOMERSET THERAPEUTICS LLC
Presence of particulate matter - Glass like particles.
Imprimis NJOF, LLC
Presence of particulate matter - Glass like particles.
Imprimis NJOF, LLC
Labeling: Incorrect or Missing Lot and/or Expiration date: Individual vials of Dexonto 0.4%, are labeled correctly with the BUD of 12/25/2024, however, the outer box on some of the Dexonto 0.4% are labeled incorrectly with a BUD of 12/25/2025.
Nubratori, Inc
Failed Impurities/Degradation Specifications: impurity sulfonic acid adduct of dexamethasone phosphate results were above spec.
Eugia US LLC
Lack of Assurance of Sterility: FDA inspection findings resulted in concerns regarding quality control processes
Lowlite Investments, Inc. D/B/A Olympia Pharmacy
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anastrozole
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bazedoxifene/conjugated estrogens
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clomiphene
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Compare beyond drug class
Nationwide peers by FAERS volume & death-report share
Two PlainMeds-derived comparison paths for dexamethasone: nearest FDA FAERS report volume and nearest death-report share among drugs with at least 1,000 logged reports, excluding same-class neighbors listed above. Counts reflect reporting volume, not proven individual harm.
Similar FAERS report volume
Nearest drugs by total FAERS reports. This record: 285,895.
Similar death-report share
Nearest drugs by FAERS death-report share. This record: 16.20%.
- entecavir Δ 0.17 pts · 11,247 reports · Nucleoside Analog (HBV) 16.38%death share
- alprazolam Δ 0.19 pts · 200,719 reports · Benzodiazepine 16.39%death share
- donepezil Δ 0.20 pts · 35,138 reports · Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitor 16.00%death share
- bumetanide Δ 0.22 pts · 25,027 reports · Loop Diuretic 15.98%death share
Medication Guides
Understanding Drug Interactions
How CYP450 enzymes, inhibitors, and inducers affect your medications
Generic vs Brand Name Drugs
FDA requirements, cost savings, and when the difference matters
Narrow Therapeutic Index Drugs
FDA bioequivalence and label-record context for narrow therapeutic index medicines
Common Drug Interactions
Dangerous medication combinations and how to protect yourself
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What the FDA Data Shows for dexamethasone
The FDA label for dexamethasone (sold under brand names such as Decadron) classifies it as a prescription-only medication in the Corticosteroid class. This medicine treats many conditions, including allergies, skin problems, and breathing issues. Official labeling lists 8 commonly reported side effects, including Increased appetite, Weight gain, Fluid retention.
Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. For this drug, FAERS contains 285,895 voluntary reports. The database also lists 21 documented drug interactions derived from FDA labeling, with the top-flagged interaction rated moderate severity. NADAC pricing from CMS shows a generic unit cost of $7.08.
Report counts do not establish causation, a FAERS entry documents a temporal association, not proof that the drug produced the outcome. Widely prescribed medications naturally accumulate more reports than niche therapies, so raw totals must be interpreted alongside total exposure. Shortage status, recall history (currently 6 recall records on file), and patent information are separate source-record fields. This page is a public FDA/CMS registry and does not provide medical, treatment, substitution, or medication-change directions.
Data Sources
Drug labeling: FDA Drug Labels (SPL/DailyMed). Adverse events: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Pricing: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC). Shortage status: FDA Drug Shortages Database.
FAERS reports are voluntary and do not establish causation. Drug interactions are derived from FDA labeling and clinical references. This registry does not provide medication decisions.
Last updated: October 29, 2025
PlainMeds is rendered directly from FDA openFDA/FAERS extracts, DailyMed labels, and CMS drug-pricing files, no number is typed in by an editor. FAERS counts, recalls, shortages, and price figures on this page are queried live from those federal extracts. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-05-15. Primary sources: openFDA / FAERS, DailyMed and CMS Part B ASP.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Data currency: FDA FAERS adverse-event reports through 2025, CMS NADAC acquisition-cost pricing effective December 2024, compiled from the source snapshot dated . See our methodology for per-source dates and refresh cadence. Spot a figure that looks wrong? Report a data issue.
All federal data sources used on this page
- FDA Orange Book - approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence. accessdata.fda.gov/cder/ob
- FDA DailyMed - NIH-hosted drug labeling for FDA-approved meds. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov
- FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) - post-marketing safety surveillance. fda.gov/drugs/faers
- NLM RxNorm - standardized clinical drug nomenclature. nlm.nih.gov/research/umls/rxnorm
- CMS Medicare Part B Drug Average Sales Price Files - federal drug pricing data. cms.gov/medicare/part-b-drugs/asp
- FDA Drug Shortages Database - current and resolved drug shortage tracking. accessdata.fda.gov/drugshortages