Keep Patients Getting Topical Steroids Safe

It may seem surprising that TOPICAL corticosteroids (triamcinolone, etc) can cause SYSTEMIC effects, such as high blood sugar.

The risk usually boils down to factors such as the patient's age, site of application, and the potency of the steroid.

For example, higher-potency steroids, such as clobetasol 0.05% or fluocinonide 0.05%, are more likely to lead to problems.