Rheumatoid Arthritis – Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment and More

Arthritis Tegan Parry

Treatment

There is no particular cure for rheumatoid arthritis. But clinical studies indicate that remission of symptoms is more likely when treatment begins early with medications known as disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs).

Medications

Medications are usually that first treatment options. They type recommended will depend on how severe your condition is and how long you’ve had RA for. Different medications include:

NSAIDs. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) [6] can relieve pain and reduce inflammation. Over-the-counter NSAIDs include ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) and naproxen sodium (Aleve). Stronger NSAIDs are available by prescription. You may experience some side effects such as stomach irritation, heart problems and kidney damage.
Steroids. Corticosteroid medications, such as prednisone, reduce inflammation and pain and slow joint damage. You may experience some side effects such as thinning of bones, weight gain and diabetes.
Conventional DMARDs. These drugs are only to be prescribed by your doctor. They help slow the progression of rheumatoid arthritis and save the joints and other tissues from permanent damage. Common DMARDs include methotrexate (Trexall, Otrexup, others), leflunomide (Arava), hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) and sulfasalazine (Azulfidine). Side effects vary but may include liver damage and severe lung infections.
Biologic agents. Also known as biologic response modifiers, this newer class of DMARDs includes abatacept (Orencia), adalimumab (Humira), anakinra (Kineret), certolizumab (Cimzia), etanercept (Enbrel), golimumab (Simponi), infliximab (Remicade), rituximab (Rituxan), sarilumab (Kevzara) and tocilizumab (Actemra). Biologic DMARDs are usually most effective when paired with a conventional DMARD, such as methotrexate. This type of drug also increases the risk of infections.
Targeted synthetic DMARDs. These medications are used if conventional DMARDs and biologics have not been effective. Examples of targeted synthetic DMARDs include Baricitinib (Olumiant), tofacitinib (Xeljanz) and upadacitinib (Rinvoq). Higher doses of tofacitinib can increase the risk of blood clots in the lungs, serious heart-related events and cancer.

Tegan Parry March 30, 2022

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