Can You Take Amoxicillin And Prednisone Together?

Answer

Thanks so much for reaching out! There is no known drug interaction between amoxicillin and prednisone. They are considered safe to take together.

In fact, although medical recommendations regarding the use of steroids to help treat symptoms of a sinus infection are mixed, Medrol (methylprednisolone), a steroid very similar to prednisone, is very commonly prescribed alongside amoxicillin. Typically, it is prescribed as a 'Medrol Dose Pack'.

I do want to point out however, that corticosteroids (like prednisone) are linked to the suppression of the immune system, which could theoretically increase the risk of infection (we answered a question about this recently for someone who was concerned about combining azithromycin and prednisone).

Nevertheless, for most individuals, a short-term course of a steroid like prednisone won't suppress the immune system to a clinically significant degree.

As a final point here, I say that medical recommendations are mixed because although some studies report that steroids can slightly shorten the time to symptom improvement, overall, the benefits of systemic sterioids (i.e., taking a steroid by mouth) are thought to be relatively small and more studies are needed to see if the benefits outwerigh the risks. One study concluded:

Current data on the use of oral corticosteroids [e.g., prednisone] as an adjunctive therapy to oral antibiotics are limited: almost all trials are performed in secondary care settings and there is a significant risk of bias. This limited evidence suggests that oral corticosteroids in combination with antibiotics may be modestly beneficial for short-term relief of symptoms in acute sinusitis, with a number needed to treat to benefit of seven for resolution or symptom improvement. A large primary care factorial trial is needed to establish whether oral corticosteroids offer additional benefits over antibiotics in acute sinusitis.

Final Words

I really appreciate you reaching out to us! Please do so again anytime.