16 May 2026
Cardiovascular Risk Profile of Low-dose Prednisolone and its Effect on the Quality of Life in Patients with Adrenal Insufficiency
This study looked at people with adrenal insufficiency, a condition where the body does not make enough important hormones. These patients need daily steroid medicine to stay well.
Traditionally, many people take hydrocortisone several times a day. This study explored what happens when patients switch to a different treatment — a low dose of prednisolone taken just once a day.
The researchers followed patients for a few months after the switch. They checked their heart health (such as blood pressure and cholesterol) and asked about their quality of life.
What they found:
- Similar safety: Prednisolone did not increase risk factors for heart disease compared with hydrocortisone. Key measures like cholesterol and blood sugar stayed the same.
- Small health improvements: Patients had a slight drop in weight and lower blood pressure.
- More energy: Many people reported feeling less tired and having more energy.
- Greater convenience: Taking one tablet a day was easier and preferred by many patients.
What this means:
For some people with adrenal insufficiency, once-daily prednisolone may be a simple and effective alternative to multiple daily doses of hydrocortisone. It appears to be just as safe in the short term, while also making treatment easier and helping people feel better day to day.
However, the study was small and short-term, so longer studies are needed to confirm these findings.
Ssemmondo, E., Lazarus, K., Newham, M., Narula, K., Htut, Z., Sathyapalan, T., Choudhury, S., & Meeran, K. (2026). Cardiovascular risk profile of low-dose prednisolone and its effect on the quality of life in patients with adrenal insufficiency: the HYPER-AID observational study. Endocrine Connections, 15(2), Article e250904, e250904. Retrieved May 13, 2026
You can read the full article for free here: https://doi.org/10.1530/EC-25-0904
This summary was written with the help of Copilot AI
.