What is essential to monitor while a patient is on corticosteroids?

Monitoring for signs of infections is essential while a patient is on corticosteroids because these medications can significantly suppress the immune system. Corticosteroids help reduce inflammation and manage various conditions but also decrease the body’s ability to fight off infections due to their immunosuppressive effects. This makes patients more vulnerable to both opportunistic and common infections, highlighting the need for vigilant observation for symptoms like fever, malaise, or localized infections.

While blood pressure levels, liver function tests, and urine output are important to monitor in various clinical contexts, they are not the primary reasons for monitoring during corticosteroid therapy. Elevated blood pressure can occur due to fluid retention caused by corticosteroids, liver function might be monitored based on the specific circumstances of a patient or the presence of other medications, and urine output may relate to kidney function or fluid balance. However, the risk of infections is a more direct and significant concern due to the direct effect corticosteroids have on the immune system. This makes awareness of infection signs critical during treatment.