Metabolic and cardiovascular adverse events of systemic glucocorticoid therapy

Diabetes, dyslipidemia, hypertension, weight gain, lipodystrophy and cardiovascular events are well-known adverse events of systemic glucocorticoid therapy. Despite their frequency and their life-threatening consequences, there are few, and sometimes discordant, available data. Incidence of and risk factors for dyslipidemia, weight gain and lipodystrophy are for instance imperfectly known. The optimal pharmacological management of patients with glucocorticoid-induced diabetes or hypertension is uncertain. Lastly, the strategies for screening and prevention of these adverse events depend on physicians' habits since no consensus is available. Some of these questions can be answered by looking at available data in patients with endogenous hypercorticism. (C) 2012 Societe nationale francaise de medecine interne (SNFMI). Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.