Hydrocortisone vs Cortisone: side effects in FDA adverse event reports
At a glance
| Hydrocortisone | Cortisone | |
|---|---|---|
| Drug class | Corticosteroid | – |
| Brand names | – | Cortisone Acetate |
| FAERS reports | 88,710 | 12,273 |
| Serious | 82% | 96% |
| Death outcome | 11,614 | 3,750 |
| Boxed warning | No | No |
Signals both drugs share
| Reaction | Hydrocortisone | Cortisone | Label screen (A / B) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duodenal ulcer perforation | 2,466 · PRR 119.8 | 3,437 · PRR 1,520.3 | Labeled (related wording) / Labeled (related wording) |
| Pemphigus | 2,770 · PRR 67.7 | 6,161 · PRR 1,699.2 | Likely indication confounding / Likely indication confounding |
| Hand deformity | 2,709 · PRR 61.6 | 5,139 · PRR 1,113.8 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Helicobacter infection | 2,454 · PRR 74.9 | 3,453 · PRR 880.3 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Folliculitis | 2,092 · PRR 59.9 | 2,393 · PRR 516.8 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Rheumatic fever | 1,890 · PRR 181.2 | 2,431 · PRR 2,177.6 | Likely indication confounding / Likely indication confounding |
| Muscle injury | 1,781 · PRR 65.4 | 2,148 · PRR 608.0 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Sleep disorder due to general medical condition, insomnia type | 1,305 · PRR 60.0 | 1,503 · PRR 521.9 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Facet joint syndrome | 1,230 · PRR 151.7 | 1,354 · PRR 1,297.7 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Deep vein thrombosis postoperative | 947 · PRR 222.3 | 1,016 · PRR 1,860.7 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Peripheral venous disease | 895 · PRR 68.2 | 951 · PRR 535.7 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Adjustment disorder with depressed mood | 757 · PRR 142.6 | 635 · PRR 789.6 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Dislocation of vertebra | 728 · PRR 115.1 | 608 · PRR 645.1 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Lupus vulgaris | 553 · PRR 206.4 | 611 · PRR 1,825.3 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Retinitis | 427 · PRR 81.2 | 478 · PRR 688.4 | Likely indication confounding / Likely indication confounding |
| Seronegative arthritis | 194 · PRR 49.3 | 273 · PRR 550.9 | Likely indication confounding / Likely indication confounding |
| Swollen joint count | 83 · PRR 120.4 | 75 · PRR 752.2 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Grip strength | 97 · PRR 170.6 | 51 · PRR 482.8 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
Labeled signals distinctive to Hydrocortisone
- Steroid withdrawal syndrome — n=250, PRR 76.9 Labeled (related wording)
- Secondary immunodeficiency — n=223, PRR 54.2 Labeled (related wording)
- Adrenal suppression — n=148, PRR 50.2 Labeled (related wording)
- Topical steroid withdrawal reaction — n=146, PRR 145.5 Labeled (related wording)
Labeled signals distinctive to Cortisone
- Wound — n=4,979, PRR 373.5 Labeled adverse reaction
Common questions
Which has more reported side effects, Hydrocortisone or Cortisone?
Hydrocortisone has 88,710 FAERS reports and Cortisone 12,273. More reports does not mean more dangerous: volume follows how widely and how long a drug has been used, prescription vs over-the-counter status, and publicity. The seriousness share (82% vs 96%) is a better like-for-like signal of the kind of problems reported.
Which side effects do Hydrocortisone and Cortisone share?
Both drugs carry disproportionality signals for duodenal ulcer perforation, pemphigus, hand deformity, helicobacter infection, folliculitis. Shared signals often reflect a shared drug class or the condition both are used for.
Is Hydrocortisone or Cortisone safer?
FAERS cannot answer that: it has no denominator and no comparator. Use this page to see which risks are already on each label and which signals are unlabeled, then check the prescribing information and your clinician for your situation.
Sources: openFDA FAERS pair statistics (OpenPV build 2026-09-14), FDA labels via openFDA, openFDA count queries for seriousness and deaths. Pair chosen because it is a commonly searched comparison. Generated 2026-10-08.