What is the approximate duration of long-acting glucocorticoids?

• A. 24 hours
• B. 48 hours
• C. 72 hours
• D. 96 hours

Answer: (B)

Long-acting glucocorticoids are characterized by a prolonged anti-inflammatory effect due to their longer systemic presence. Dexamethasone and betamethasone, common long-acting options, have biological half-lives around 36–54 hours, which translates to a clinical duration of roughly two days. Therefore, about 48 hours is the best general approximation for their duration, which is why dosing can be less frequent. Shorter-acting steroids tend to last less than a day, while some durations at 72 or 96 hours are less typical for standard long-acting agents.