Dexamethasone acetate

Commonly known as decadron, dexamethasone acetate is a glucocorticosteroid previously marketed in the USA for the treatment of inflammatory respiratory, allergic, autoimmune, and other conditions. Developed in 1957, dexamethasone is structurally similar to other corticosteroids such as hydrocortisone and prednisolone. Dexamethasone acetate has largely been replaced by dexamethasone phosphate and continues to be administered for a large variety of inflammatory conditions.

Recently, dexamethasone has been a drug of interest in the treatment of COVID-19. In a June 16 2020 press release highlighting early results of a clinical trial, Randomized Evaluation of COVID-19 Therapy (RECOVERY), it was reported that dexamethasone reduced COVID-19 deaths by approximately one-fifth and one-third in patients on oxygen therapy and mechanical ventilation, respectively. Dexamethasone was therefore recommended as a life-saving treatment for COVID-19 patients experiencing severe respiratory symptoms.