Topic overview

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Therapeutic uses of corticosteroids span replacement, suppression, acute treatment, and prevention. In adrenal insufficiency, glucocorticoids replace deficient hormones; in congenital adrenal hyperplasia, therapy suppresses ACTH drive. Other applications include fetal lung maturation when preterm delivery is anticipated, control of inflammatory and autoimmune disorders, and management of selected neurologic, renal, skin, and eye conditions. Corticosteroids also have roles in transplant rejection prevention, cancer regimens, and certain critical-care situations. The appropriate use depends on the condition and clinical context: the same drug class may be used for ongoing replacement, short-term symptom control, or as part of combination treatment. This overview maps the major indication groups and introduces the treatment rationales developed in the full lesson.