Medrol Dose Pack Dosing Regimen
The standard Medrol dose pack contains 21 tablets of 4 mg methylprednisolone each, administered over 6 days in a tapering schedule: Day 1: 24 mg (6 tablets), Day 2: 20 mg (5 tablets), Day 3: 16 mg (4 tablets), Day 4: 12 mg (3 tablets), Day 5: 8 mg (2 tablets), and Day 6: 4 mg (1 tablet), providing a total of 84 mg methylprednisolone. 1, 2
Standard Dosing Schedule
The Medrol dose pack follows this specific tapering pattern:
- Day 1: 24 mg (6 tablets of 4 mg each) 1, 2
- Day 2: 20 mg (5 tablets) 2
- Day 3: 16 mg (4 tablets) 1, 2
- Day 4: 12 mg (3 tablets) 1, 2
- Day 5: 8 mg (2 tablets) 2
- Day 6: 4 mg (1 tablet) 2
Dosing Equivalency and Context
The total 84 mg of methylprednisolone delivered over 6 days is equivalent to approximately 105 mg of prednisone (using the 4:5 conversion ratio). 1, 2, 3
Important limitation: The standard Medrol dose pack may be underdosed for many inflammatory conditions when compared to guideline-recommended therapeutic doses. 1, 2 For maximum therapeutic effect in inflammatory conditions, the equivalent of prednisone 1 mg/kg/day is often recommended, which would be approximately 48 mg of methylprednisolone daily for a 60 kg adult. 1, 2 This means a fully therapeutic course would provide approximately 540 mg prednisone equivalent over 14 days, compared to the dose pack's 105 mg equivalent over 6 days. 1
Administration Recommendations
Methylprednisolone should be taken as a single daily dose rather than divided throughout the day for better compliance and potentially reduced adrenal suppression. 1 The FDA label indicates that dosing requirements are variable and must be individualized based on the disease being treated, with initial doses ranging from 4 mg to 48 mg per day depending on severity. 3
Common Side Effects to Monitor
For short-term therapy like the standard 6-day Medrol dose pack, these adverse effects are typically mild and self-limited. 1