Sore throat
A single dose of dexamethasone or another steroid speeds improvement of a sore throat. Contraindications
Contraindications of dexamethasone include, but are not limited to:

Uncontrolled infections
Known hypersensitivity to dexamethasone
Cerebral malaria
Systemic fungal infection
Concurrent treatment with live virus vaccines (including smallpox vaccine)

Adverse effects
The exact incidence of the adverse effects of dexamethasone are not available, hence estimates have been made as to the incidence of the adverse effects below based on the adverse effects of related corticosteroids and on available documentation on dexamethasone. Common
Unknown frequency
Withdrawal
Sudden withdrawal after long-term treatment with corticosteroids can lead to:

Interactions
Known drug interactions include:
Inducers of hepatic microsomal enzymes such as barbiturates, phenytoin, and rifampicin can reduce the half-life of dexamethasone. Cotreatment with oral contraceptives can increase its volume of distribution. Pharmacology
Pharmacodynamics
As a glucocorticoid, dexamethasone is an agonist of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR). It is highly selective for the GR over the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR), and in relation to this, has minimal mineralocorticoid activity. This is in contrast to endogenous corticosteroids like cortisol, which bind to and activate both the GR and the MR. Dexamethasone is 25 times more potent than hydrocortisone (cortisol) as a glucocorticoid. Its affinity (Ki) for the GR was about 1.2 nM in one study.The activation of the GR by dexamethasone results in dose-dependent suppression of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis (HPA axis) and of production of endogenous corticosteroids by the adrenal glands, thereby reducing circulating endogenous concentrations of corticosteroids like cortisol and corticosterone.Dexamethasone poorly penetrates the blood–brain barrier into the central nervous system due to binding to P-glycoprotein.
In 2019, it was the 359th most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with fewer than 1 million prescriptions. Medical uses
Anti-inflammatory
Dexamethasone is used to treat many inflammatory and autoimmune disorders, such as rheumatoid arthritis and bronchospasm. Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, a decrease in numbers of platelets due to an immune problem, responds to 40 mg daily for four days; it may be administered in 14-day cycles. It is unclear whether dexamethasone in this condition is significantly better than other glucocorticoids.It is also given in small amounts before and/or after some forms of dental surgery, such as the extraction of the wisdom teeth, an operation which often causes puffy, swollen cheeks.Dexamethasone is commonly given as a treatment for croup in children, as a single dose can reduce the swelling of the airway to improve breathing and reduce discomfort.It is injected into the heel when treating plantar fasciitis, sometimes in conjunction with triamcinolone acetonide.It is useful to counteract allergic anaphylactic shock, if given in high doses.It is present in certain eye drops – particularly after eye surgery – and as a nasal spray, and certain ear drops (can be combined with an antibiotic and an antifungal). Dexamethasone intravitreal steroid implants have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat ocular conditions such as diabetic macular edema, central retinal vein occlusion, and uveitis. Dexamethasone has also been used with antibiotics to treat acute endophthalmitis.Dexamethasone is used in transvenous screw-in cardiac pacing leads to minimize the inflammatory response of the myocardium.