Hydrocortisone vs Triamcinolone Acetonide: side effects in FDA adverse event reports
At a glance
| Hydrocortisone | Triamcinolone Acetonide | |
|---|---|---|
| Drug class | Corticosteroid | Corticosteroid |
| Brand names | – | – |
| FAERS reports | 88,710 | 30,695 |
| Serious | 82% | 46% |
| Death outcome | 11,614 | 3,066 |
| Boxed warning | No | No |
Signals both drugs share
| Reaction | Hydrocortisone | Triamcinolone Acetonide | Label screen (A / B) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duodenal ulcer perforation | 2,466 · PRR 119.8 | 927 · PRR 98.7 | Labeled (related wording) / Labeled (related wording) |
| Subcutaneous drug absorption impaired | 187 · PRR 123.7 | 74 · PRR 107.3 | Not in label — unassessed / Labeled (related wording) |
| Rheumatic fever | 1,890 · PRR 181.2 | 776 · PRR 147.6 | Likely indication confounding / Likely indication confounding |
| Facet joint syndrome | 1,230 · PRR 151.7 | 734 · PRR 207.6 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Peripheral venous disease | 895 · PRR 68.2 | 539 · PRR 106.5 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Deep vein thrombosis postoperative | 947 · PRR 222.3 | 365 · PRR 156.3 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Adjustment disorder with depressed mood | 757 · PRR 142.6 | 275 · PRR 107.9 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Dislocation of vertebra | 728 · PRR 115.1 | 285 · PRR 100.3 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Lupus vulgaris | 553 · PRR 206.4 | 260 · PRR 191.1 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Retinitis | 427 · PRR 81.2 | 277 · PRR 135.9 | Likely indication confounding / Not in label — unassessed |
| Vaginal flatulence | 191 · PRR 399.5 | 154 · PRR 700.0 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Seronegative arthritis | 194 · PRR 49.3 | 145 · PRR 101.3 | Likely indication confounding / Likely indication confounding |
| Swollen joint count | 83 · PRR 120.4 | 65 · PRR 245.6 | 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 Triamcinolone Acetonide
- Hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis suppression — n=43, PRR 94.2 Labeled (related wording)
- Conjunctival ulcer — n=17, PRR 96.9 Labeled (related wording)
Common questions
Which has more reported side effects, Hydrocortisone or Triamcinolone Acetonide?
Hydrocortisone has 88,710 FAERS reports and Triamcinolone Acetonide 30,695. 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 46%) is a better like-for-like signal of the kind of problems reported.
Which side effects do Hydrocortisone and Triamcinolone Acetonide share?
Both drugs carry disproportionality signals for duodenal ulcer perforation, subcutaneous drug absorption impaired, rheumatic fever, facet joint syndrome, peripheral venous disease. Shared signals often reflect a shared drug class or the condition both are used for.
Is Hydrocortisone or Triamcinolone Acetonide 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.