Description and Brand Names

Drug information provided by: Merative, Micromedex®

US Brand Name

1. Aristocort
2. Aristocort Forte
3. Aristospan
4. Clinacort
5. Kenalog-10
6. Kenalog-40
7. Triamcot
8. Triam-Forte
9. Triesense
10. Zilretta

Descriptions

Triamcinolone injection provides relief for inflamed areas of the body. It is used to treat a number of different conditions, such as inflammation (swelling), severe allergies, adrenal problems, arthritis, blood or bone marrow problems, eye or vision problems, lung or breathing problems (eg, asthma), lupus, skin conditions, kidney problems, ulcerative colitis, and flare-ups of multiple sclerosis. Triamcinolone is a corticosteroid (cortisone-like medicine or steroid). It works on the immune system to help relieve swelling, redness, itching, and allergic reactions.

This medicine is to be given only by or under the direct supervision of your doctor.

This product is available in the following dosage forms:

• Suspension
• Powder for Suspension, Extended Release

Before Using

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For this medicine, the following should be considered:

Allergies

Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.

Pediatric

Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated pediatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of triamcinolone injection in the pediatric population. However, pediatric patients are more likely to have slower growth and bone problems if triamcinolone injection is used for a long time. Recommended doses should not be exceeded, and the patient should be carefully monitored during treatment.

Triamcinolone injection contains benzyl alcohol, which may cause serious unwanted effects in premature infants.

Geriatric

Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated geriatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of triamcinolone injection in the elderly. However, elderly patients are more sensitive to the effects of this medicine than younger adults and are more likely to have liver, kidney, or heart problems, which may require caution and an adjustment in the dose for elderly patients receiving triamcinolone injection.

Breastfeeding

There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding.

Drug Interactions

Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are receiving this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medication or change some of the other medicines you take.

• Desmopressin
• Rotavirus Vaccine, Live

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

• Aldesleukin
• Aspirin
• Atazanavir
• Balofloxacin
• Bemiparin
• Besifloxacin
• Carbamazepine
• Ceritinib
• Ciprofloxacin
• Cobicistat
• Cosyntropin
• Darunavir
• Enoxacin
• Fleroxacin
• Flumequine
• Gatifloxacin
• Gemifloxacin
• Levofloxacin
• Lomefloxacin
• Lutetium Lu 177 Dotatate
• Macimorelin
• Moxifloxacin
• Nadifloxacin
• Nadroparin
• Nirmatrelvir
• Norfloxacin
• Ofloxacin
• Pazufloxacin
• Pefloxacin
• Prulifloxacin
• Ritonavir
• Rufloxacin
• Sargramostim
• Somatrogon-ghla
• Sparfloxacin
• Tosufloxacin
• Upadacitinib

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

• Alcuronium
• Atracurium
• Auranofin
• Fosphenytoin
• Gallamine
• Hexafluorenium
• Licorice
• Metocurine
• Phenytoin
• Primidone
• Saiboku-To

Other Interactions

Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. Discuss with your healthcare professional the use of your medicine with food, alcohol, or tobacco.

Other Medical Problems

The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Cataracts or
• Cirrhosis (liver problem) or
• Congestive heart failure or
• Depression or
• Emotional problems or
• Glaucoma or
• Heart attack, recent or
• Heart disease or
• Hypertension (high blood pressure) or
• Intracranial hypertension (increased pressure in the head) or
• Kaposi's sarcoma or
• Kidney disease, severe or
• Liver disease (eg, cirrhosis, hepatitis) or
• Mental illness or
• Myasthenia gravis (severe muscle weakness) or
• Osteoporosis (weak bones) or
• Stomach or bowel problems (eg, diverticulitis, ulcers, ulcerative colitis) or
• Thyroid problems or
• Tuberculosis, inactive—Use with caution. May make these conditions worse.

• Brain injury, traumatic or
• Cerebral malaria or
• Herpes infection of the eye or
• Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (low platelet count)—Should not be used in patients with this condition.

• Infection (bacteria, virus, fungus, parasite, or protozoa)—May decrease your body's ability to fight infection.

Proper Use

A nurse or other trained health professional will give you this medicine. It may be given as a shot into one of your muscles, a joint, or a spot on your skin called a lesion.

Precautions

It is very important that your doctor check your or your child's progress at regular visits to make sure this medicine is working properly and to decide if you should continue to receive it. Blood or urine tests may be needed to check for unwanted effects.

This medicine contains benzyl alcohol which may cause serious reactions (eg, gasping syndrome, low blood pressure, and metabolic acidosis) to newborn or premature infants. Discuss this with your doctor if you are concerned.

This medicine may cause a serious allergic reaction, including anaphylaxis, which can be life-threatening and requires immediate medical attention. Call your doctor right away if you have a rash, itching, trouble breathing, trouble swallowing, or any swelling of your hands, face, or mouth while you are receiving this medicine.

If you will be receiving this medicine for a long time, tell your doctor about any extra stress or anxiety in your life, including other health concerns and emotional stress. Your dose of this medicine might need to be changed for a short time while you have extra stress.

This medicine may cause fluid retention (edema) in some patients. Carefully follow your doctor's instructions about any special diet (especially on salt intake).

Using too much of this medicine or using it for a long time may increase your risk of having adrenal gland problems. Talk to your doctor right away if you or your child have blurred vision, dizziness or fainting, a fast, irregular, or pounding heartbeat, increased thirst or urination, irritability, or unusual tiredness or weakness.

This medicine may cause you or your child to get more infections than usual. Avoid people who are sick or have infections and wash your hands often. If you or your child are exposed to chickenpox or measles, tell your doctor right away. If you or your child start to have a fever, chills, sore throat, or any other sign of an infection, call your doctor right away.

Tell your doctor if you or your child have recently spent time in a tropical climate or have unexplained diarrhea before receiving this medicine.

While you are being treated with triamcinolone injection, do not have any immunizations (vaccines) without your doctor's approval. Triamcinolone may lower your body's resistance and the vaccine may not work as well or you might get the infection the vaccine is meant to prevent. In addition, you should not be around other persons living in your household who receive live virus vaccines because there is a chance they could pass the virus on to you. Some examples of live vaccines include measles, mumps, influenza (nasal flu vaccine), poliovirus (oral form), rotavirus, and rubella. If you have questions about this, talk to your doctor.

Check with your doctor immediately if blurred vision, difficulty in reading, or any other change in vision occurs during or after treatment. Your doctor may want you or your child to have your eyes checked by an ophthalmologist (eye doctor).

This medicine may increase your risk for cancer, including Kaposi's sarcoma. Tell your doctor right away if you have flat, painless spots that are red or purple on white skin or bluish, brownish, or black on dark skin.

Before you have any skin tests, tell the medical doctor in charge that you are taking this medicine. The results of some tests may be affected by this medicine.

Do not stop receiving this medicine suddenly without checking first with your doctor. Your doctor may want you or your child to gradually reduce the amount you are using before stopping it completely.

This medicine might cause thinning of the bones (osteoporosis) or slow growth in children if received for a long time. Tell your doctor if you have any bone pain or if you have an increased risk for osteoporosis. If your child is receiving this medicine, tell the doctor if you think your child is not growing properly.

Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines and herbal or vitamin supplements.

Side Effects

Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor or nurse immediately if any of the following side effects occur:

More common

1. Aggression
2. agitation
3. anxiety
4. blurred vision
5. decrease in the amount of urine
6. dizziness
7. fast, slow, pounding, or irregular heartbeat or pulse
8. headache
9. irritability
10. mental depression
11. mood changes
12. nervousness
13. noisy, rattling breathing
14. numbness or tingling in the arms or legs
15. pounding in the ears
16. swelling of the fingers, hands, feet, or lower legs
17. trouble thinking, speaking, or walking
18. trouble breathing
19. weight gain

Incidence not known

1. Backache
2. bloody, black, or tarry stools
3. cough or hoarseness
4. darkening of the skin
5. decreased vision
6. diarrhea
7. dry mouth
8. eye pain
9. eye tearing
10. facial hair growth in females
11. fainting
12. fatigue
13. fever or chills
14. flushed, dry skin
15. fractures
16. fruit-like breath odor
17. full or round face, neck, or trunk
18. heartburn and/or indigestion (severe and continuous)
19. increased hunger
20. increased thirst
21. increased urination
22. loss of appetite
23. loss of sexual desire or ability
24. lower back or side pain
25. menstrual irregularities
26. muscle pain or tenderness
27. muscle wasting or weakness
28. nausea
29. pain in back, ribs, arms, or legs
30. painful or difficult urination
31. skin rash
32. sleeplessness
33. sweating
34. trouble healing
35. trouble sleeping
36. unexplained weight loss
37. unusual tiredness or weakness
38. vision changes
39. vomiting
40. vomiting of material that looks like coffee grounds

Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

Incidence not known

1. Blemishes on the skin
2. bruising
3. dry, scaly skin
4. feeling of constant movement of self or surroundings
5. full or bloated feeling
6. increased appetite
7. increased hair growth on the face, forehead, back, arms, and legs
8. large, flat, blue, or purplish patches in the skin
9. pimples
10. pitting or depression of the skin at the injection site
11. reddish purple lines on the arms, face, legs, trunk, or groin
12. redness of the skin
13. redness, swelling, tenderness, or pain at the injection site
14. sensation of spinning
15. small, red, or purple spots on the skin
16. thin, fragile, or shiny skin
17. thinning of the scalp hair

Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Portions of this document last updated: Aug. 01, 2024

Original article: https://www.mayoclinic.org/zh-hans/drugs-supplements/triamcinolone-injection-route/precautions/drg-20074674