Table 1.

Comparison of systemic corticosteroids [4, 7, 14, 16].

Drug	Approximate equivalent dose (mg)a	Glucocorticoid potency	Mineralocorticoid potency	Duration of action (h)
Hydrocortisone	20	1	1	Short acting 8–12
Prednisone Prednisolone	5	4	0.8	Intermediate acting 12–36
Methylprednisolone	4	5	0.5	Intermediate acting 12–36
Dexamethasone	0.75	25	0	Long acting >36
Betamethasone	0.75	25	0	Long acting >36
Fludrocortisone	– b	10	125	Intermediate acting 12–36

^aDose equivalents are reported for oral/IV administration; alternate routes may vary and are not presented here.

^bFludrocortisone is used for mineralocorticoid activity only.