[1] Uses include conditions such as adrenocortical insufficiency, adrenogenital syndrome, high blood calcium, thyroiditis, rheumatoid arthritis, dermatitis, asthma, and COPD.

[1] With long-term use, common side effects include osteoporosis, upset stomach, physical weakness, easy bruising, and candidiasis (yeast infections).

[20][21] Hydrocortisone is the pharmaceutical term for cortisol used in oral administration, intravenous injection, or topical application.

[citation needed] It may be used topically for allergic rashes, eczema, psoriasis, itching, and other inflammatory skin conditions.

[24] The equivalent doses and relative potencies of hydrocortisone compared to various other synthetic corticosteroids have also been reviewed and summarized.

[11] The topical percutaneous absorption of hydrocortisone varies widely depending on experimental circumstances and has been reported to range from 0.5 to 14.9% in different studies.

[29][30][31] Most cortisol in the blood (all but about 4%) is bound to proteins, including corticosteroid binding globulin (CBG) and serum albumin.

[37] Hydrocortisone (Efmody) was approved for medical use in the European Union, in May 2021, for the treatment of congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) in people aged twelve years and older.

[9] In the UK, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) concluded an investigation into the supply of hydrocortisone tablets, finding that from October 2008 onwards, drug suppliers Auden McKenzie and Actavis plc had charged "excessive and unfair prices" for 10mg and 20mg tablets and entered into agreements with potential competitors, paying companies who agreed not to enter the hydrocortisone market and enabling Auden McKenzie and Actavis to supply the drugs as "generic" rather than branded products and thereby escape price controls until eventually other companies entered the market.

Auden and Actavis overcharged the UK's National Health Service for over ten years.

[38] Hydrocortisone was found to be effective in reducing mortality rate of critically ill COVID-19 patients when compared to other usual care or a placebo.