Fludrocortisone: uses, dosing, side effects & brands
Fludrocortisone is a medicine sold in the U.S. under 2 brand and generic names, for addison disease and adrenocortical hyperfunction. Below: what the FDA label says, every product that contains it, what the pills look like, and its recall record.
Key facts
- Treats
- Addison Disease and Adrenocortical Hyperfunction
- Available as
- Tablet
- Sold as
- 2 products — Fludrocortisone Acetate and Florinef
- Prescription?
- Prescription only
- Generic available?
- Yes
- What the pharmacy pays
- about $10 for a 30-count supply — not your price
How fludrocortisone is dosed
From the FDA label for Fludrocortisone Acetate (application ANDA215279). Other fludrocortisone products — different forms, different strengths — are dosed differently. Follow the label for the one you were prescribed.
Dosage depends on the severity of the disease and the response of the patient. Patients should be continually monitored for signs that indicate dosage adjustment is necessary, such as remission or exacerbations of the disease and stress (surgery, infection, trauma) (see WARNINGS and PRECAUTIONS, General ). Addison's Disease In Addison’s disease, the combination of fludrocortisone acetate tablets with a glucocorticoid such as hydrocortisone or cortisone provides substitution therapy approximating normal adrenal activity with minimal risks of unwanted effects. The usual dose is 0.1 mg of fludrocortisone acetate tablets daily, although dosage ranging from 0.1 mg three times a week to 0.2 mg daily has been employed. In the event transient hypertension develops as a consequence of therapy, the dose should be reduced to 0.05 mg daily. Fludrocortisone acetate tablets are preferably administered in conjunction with cortisone (10 mg to 37.5 mg daily in divided doses) or hydrocortisone (10 mg to 30 mg daily in divided doses). Salt-Losing Adrenogenital Syndrome The recommended dosage for treating the salt-losing adrenogenital syndrome is 0.1 mg to 0.2 mg of fludrocortisone acetate tablets daily.
Fludrocortisone side effects
Most adverse reactions are caused by the drug’s mineralocorticoid activity (retention of sodium and water) and include hypertension, edema, cardiac enlargement, congestive heart failure, potassium loss, and hypokalemic alkalosis. When fludrocortisone is used in the small dosages recommended, the glucocorticoid side effects often seen with cortisone and its derivatives are not usually a problem; however, the following untoward effects should be kept in mind, particularly when fludrocortisone is used over a prolonged period of time or in conjunction with cortisone or a similar glucocorticoid. Musculoskeletal —muscle weakness, steroid myopathy, loss of muscle mass, osteoporosis, vertebral compression fractures, aseptic necrosis of femoral and humeral heads, pathologic fracture of long bones, and spontaneous fractures. Gastrointestinal —peptic ulcer with possible perforation and hemorrhage, pancreatitis, abdominal distention, and ulcerative esophagitis. Dermatologic —impaired wound healing, thin fragile skin, bruising, petechiae and ecchymoses, facial erythema, increased sweating, subcutaneous fat atrophy, purpura, striae, hyperpigmentation of the skin and nails, hirsutism, acneiform eruptions and hives; reactions to skin tests may be suppressed. Neurological —convulsions, increased intracranial pressure with papilledema (psuedo-tumor cerebri) usually after treatment, vertigo,…
Who shouldn’t take fludrocortisone
Corticosteroids are contraindicated in patients with systemic fungal infections and in those with a history of possible or known hypersensitivity to these agents.
Fludrocortisone drug interactions
When administered concurrently, the following drugs may interact with adrenal corticosteroids. Amphotericin B or potassium-depleting diuretics (benzothiadiazines and related drugs, ethacrynic acid and furosemide)—enhanced hypokalemia. Check serum potassium levels at frequent intervals; use potassium supplements if necessary (see WARNINGS ). Digitalis glycosides — enhanced possibility of arrhythmias or digitalis toxicity associated with hypokalemia. Monitor serum potassium levels; use potassium supplements if necessary. Oral anticoagulants — decreased prothrombin time response. Monitor prothrombin levels and adjust anticoagulant dosage accordingly. Antidiabetic drugs (oral agents and insulin)—diminished antidiabetic effect. Monitor for symptoms of hyperglycemia; adjust dosage of antidiabetic drug upward if necessary. Aspirin — increased ulcerogenic effect; decreased pharmacologic effect of aspirin. Rarely salicylate toxicity may occur in patients who discontinue steroids after concurrent high-dose aspirin therapy. Monitor salicylate levels or the therapeutic effect for which aspirin is given; adjust salicylate dosage accordingly if effect is altered (see PRECAUTIONS, General ). Barbiturates, phenytoin, or rifampin —increased metabolic clearance of fludrocortisone acetate because of the induction of hepatic enzymes. Observe the patient for possible diminished effect of steroid and increase the steroid dosage accordingly. Anabolic steroids (particularly C-17 alkylated androgens such as oxymetholone, methandrostenolone, norethandrolone, and similar compounds)—enhanced tendency toward edema. Use caution when giving these drugs together, especially in patients with hepatic or cardiac disease. Vaccines —neurological complications and lack of antibody response (see WARNINGS ). Estrogen —increased levels of corticosteroid-binding globulin thereby increasing the bound (inactive) fraction; this effect is at least balanced by decreased metabolism of corticosteroids. When estrogen therapy is initiated, a reduction in corticosteroid dosage may be required, and increased amounts may be required when estrogen is terminated.
Every fludrocortisone product we track (2)
Same active ingredient — different manufacturer, form, price and FDA recall record. That last one is what our independent score measures.
| # | Drug | Rating | Type | Form | Generic? | Pharmacy pays | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 70/100 | Prescription | Tablet | Generic | $10 | View → | |
| 2 | Not yet rated | Prescription | Tablet | Generic | $10 | View → |
What fludrocortisone pills look like
Imprint codes, colour and shape from the FDA’s labelling data. Match the imprint on your pill — or search any imprint.
Fludrocortisone recalls
From the FDA Enforcement database. A recall covers specific lots — not the drug as a whole.
How long fludrocortisone keeps
No fludrocortisone label we read sets a separate limit for after opening, but they do specify how it must be stored — and the stability behind any date assumes those conditions.
Does fludrocortisone expire? The in-use limits and storage rules from its labelsWhat people report to the FDA about fludrocortisone
The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) collects reports from patients and clinicians. It holds 2,324 reports naming fludrocortisone, and the FDA flagged 72% of those reports as serious. The effects reported most often — leaving out reports about overdose, misuse or the condition being treated, which dominate the raw list for common medicines:
- fatigue162 reports
- fall157 reports
- dizziness149 reports
- nausea145 reports
- diarrhoea136 reports
- headache122 reports
- pneumonia108 reports
- asthenia104 reports
Read these as a signal, not a rate. A report does not mean fludrocortisone caused the effect — anyone can file one, and many describe people taking several medicines for several conditions. Crucially there is no denominator: FAERS does not record how many people took the drug, so these counts cannot be turned into “X% of patients” — a bigger number often just means a more widely used or more talked-about drug. Duplicates exist, and publicity drives reporting. For what is actually established, read the FDA label section above.
Source: openFDA drug/event (FAERS), retrieved August 25, 2026.
Related calculators
Frequently asked questions
What is fludrocortisone?
Fludrocortisone Acetate is a medication used to treat Addison Disease, Adrenocortical Hyperfunction.
Can you take fludrocortisone with other medicines?
It depends on the medicine. We check it against the FDA labels rather than guessing: our interaction checker searches each drug's own label for the other and quotes what it says, naming the section it came from. Run fludrocortisone against whatever else you take — and remember that a label not naming a drug is not the same as that combination being safe.
What brand names is fludrocortisone sold under?
We track 2 fludrocortisone-containing products in the U.S.: Fludrocortisone Acetate and Florinef. They are the same active ingredient; they differ in form, manufacturer, price and FDA recall record.
What forms does fludrocortisone come in?
Across the brands we track, fludrocortisone is currently marketed as tablet, per the FDA's National Drug Code Directory. Each form is dosed differently — follow the label for the exact product you were prescribed.
Is there a generic fludrocortisone?
Yes. Our catalog lists 1 generic fludrocortisone product alongside the brand versions. A generic has the same active ingredient and must meet the FDA's bioequivalence standard; it usually costs less. Ask your pharmacist which one your plan covers.
Has fludrocortisone been recalled?
The FDA's Enforcement database lists 1 recall record whose product description mentions fludrocortisone. The most recent: Fludrocortisone Acetate Tablets (Jun 28, 2024). A recall applies to specific lots, not to the drug as a whole — check the record for the affected lot numbers.
Cite this page
- APA
- pharmaranks. (2026, July 24). Fludrocortisone: uses, dosing, side effects & brands. https://pharmaranks.com/drugs/fludrocortisone
- MLA
- “Fludrocortisone: uses, dosing, side effects & brands.” pharmaranks, 24 July 2026, https://pharmaranks.com/drugs/fludrocortisone.
We summarise public FDA and NIH sources — for a clinical claim, cite the primary source we link to as well.
Sources: FDA openFDA drug label, National Drug Code Directory, and Enforcement (recall) database. This page reproduces public FDA data and is not medical advice. Dosing is set by your prescriber.
Read the full FDA label for fludrocortisone on DailyMed (NIH) ↗.