cortef

How long does Hydrocortisone stay in your body?

The elimination half-life of hydrocortisone is about 1.5 hours — the time it takes the body to clear about half of it. As a rule of thumb, a medicine is mostly gone after roughly 4 to 5 half-lives, though this varies from person to person with age and kidney or liver function. This is the plasma (terminal) elimination half-life; the FDA label states "The terminal half-life of hydrocortisone is about 1.5 hours following intravenous and oral dosing of hydrocortisone tablets" in healthy adults, so roughly 90% of a dose clears within about 8 hours and nearly all within ~12 hours. Hydrocortisone is not a prodrug, but its half-life measures how fast the drug leaves the blood, not how long its effects last: as a short-acting glucocorticoid its biological (tissue) effect on the body persists well beyond blood clearance, and this short plasma half-life is why oral replacement is usually dosed 2-3 times a day. Because hydrocortisone is metabolized in the liver, significant liver impairment can slow clearance; the label does not give a specific half-life adjustment for age, kidney, or liver function. Half-life is not the same as a drug-test detection window.

This is general information, not medical advice. It doesn’t tell you when a drug test would read negative (tests detect substances for different, often longer, windows) or when it’s safe to take another dose — ask your pharmacist or prescriber. Source: ALKINDI SPRINKLE (hydrocortisone) oral granules — FDA prescribing information, DailyMed.

Frequently asked questions

What does Cortef treat?

Cortef (Hydrocortisone) may be used to treat adrenal insufficiency, congenital adrenal hyperplasia, ulcerative colitis, contact dermatitis, facial dermatoses, foot dermatoses, based on NIH RxClass drug-classification data (conditions a drug may treat — not a verbatim copy of the FDA-approved label). This is general reference, not medical advice.

How does Cortef work?

Cortef is a corticosteroid. Corticosteroids mimic the body's natural stress hormone cortisol: they enter cells and bind a glucocorticoid receptor that switches off genes for inflammatory chemicals, calming swelling, redness, and an overactive immune response.

How much does Cortef cost?

Nobody can tell you what you will pay — your price is set by your insurer's formulary, your deductible and the pharmacy's markup, and none of those are published. What IS published is what the pharmacy paid to acquire it: about $0.15 per gm, per the CMS NADAC survey. Treat that as the floor, not the quote — ask the pharmacist for the cash price as well as your copay, because for cheap generics the cash price often wins.

Is there a coupon or discount for Cortef?

pharmaranks is an independent ratings site, not a pharmacy — we don't issue coupons or sell Cortef. To pay less, ask your prescriber or pharmacist whether a generic equivalent exists, check the manufacturer's copay/savings card and patient-assistance program, and compare a pharmacy discount card against your insurance copay. Prices vary by pharmacy, insurance, and location, so always confirm at the counter. This is general reference, not medical or financial advice.

Who makes Cortef?

Cortef is marketed by Pharmacia and Upjohn. You can see Pharmacia and Upjohn's full profile, rating, and other products on pharmaranks.

Is Cortef a brand-name or generic drug?

Cortef is a brand-name product with the active ingredient Hydrocortisone. Lower-cost generic equivalents containing Hydrocortisone are available — ask your pharmacist.

Is Cortef available over the counter?

No. Cortef is a prescription (Rx) medication in the US — you need a prescription from a licensed clinician (in person or via telehealth); it isn't sold over the counter. For some conditions there are OTC alternatives — ask your pharmacist.

What forms does Cortef come in?

Cortef is currently marketed as tablet, per the FDA's National Drug Code Directory.

What class of drug is Cortef?

Cortef is classified as corticosteroid, per the FDA's Established Pharmacologic Class.

Is Cortef FDA-registered?

Cortef is on record with the U.S. FDA under application number NDA009864. You can verify this on its official FDA label.