Rheumatoid Arthritis-Medications
Rheumatoid Arthritis-Medications
Medicines are the main treatment for rheumatoid arthritis. The types of medicines used depend on how severe your disease is, how fast it is progressing, and how it affects your daily life.
If your symptoms ease, you and your doctor will decide if you can take less medicine or stop taking medicine. If your symptoms get worse, you will have to start taking medicine again.
Drugs That Slow RA’s Progress
With rheumatoid arthritis, your immune system goes into overdrive. It attacks healthy joints and tissues by mistake and causes inflammation that leads to painful, swollen joints.RA may also cause fatigue and can damage internal organs like your eyes, heart, or lungs. Over time, the condition can cause your joints to break down. Your hands, hips, neck, or knees feet and other joints may become stiff and swollen. Your cartilage and bone may wear away.A doctor called a rheumatologist can prescribe...
Read the Drugs That Slow RA’s Progress article > >
Medicines are used to:
Medicines called disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) can slow or sometimes prevent joint destruction. Starting treatment early with DMARDs can reduce the severity of the disease.2 DMARDs are also called immunosuppressive drugs or slow-acting antirheumatic drugs (SAARDs). These medicines are usually taken over a long period to help control the disease.
DMARDs can be thought of as nonbiologic or biologic, depending on how they are made and how they act in the body. But they are all used to block harmful responses from the body's immune system. DMARDs are sometimes combined with one another or with other medicines. By combining medicines, you may be able to take lower doses of individual medicines. This may reduce your risk of side effects.
Some medicines for rheumatoid arthritis may cause birth defects. If you are pregnant or are trying to become pregnant, talk with your doctor about your medicines.
Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) are usually started within 3 months of your diagnosis. They are used to control the progression of RA and to try to prevent joint damage and disability. DMARDs are often given in combination with other medicines.
There is a newer biologic drug called tofacitinib (Xeljanz) for adults who have moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis. This medicine is for people who have not responded well to methotrexate or who cannot take it. Tofacitinib is taken by mouth. It reduces the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis and allows people to be more active. But the long-term safety of this medicine is still being studied.5, 6
If your symptoms ease, you and your doctor will decide if you can take less medicine or stop taking medicine. If your symptoms get worse, you will have to start taking medicine again.
Recommended Related to Rheumatoid Arthritis
Drugs That Slow RA’s Progress
With rheumatoid arthritis, your immune system goes into overdrive. It attacks healthy joints and tissues by mistake and causes inflammation that leads to painful, swollen joints.RA may also cause fatigue and can damage internal organs like your eyes, heart, or lungs. Over time, the condition can cause your joints to break down. Your hands, hips, neck, or knees feet and other joints may become stiff and swollen. Your cartilage and bone may wear away.A doctor called a rheumatologist can prescribe...
Read the Drugs That Slow RA’s Progress article > >
Medicines are used to:
- Relieve or reduce pain.
- Improve daily function.
- Reduce joint inflammation. Signs of joint inflammation include swelling, tenderness, and limited range of motion.
- Prevent or delay significant joint damage and deformity.
- Prevent permanent disability.
- Improve quality of life.
Medicines called disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) can slow or sometimes prevent joint destruction. Starting treatment early with DMARDs can reduce the severity of the disease.2 DMARDs are also called immunosuppressive drugs or slow-acting antirheumatic drugs (SAARDs). These medicines are usually taken over a long period to help control the disease.
DMARDs can be thought of as nonbiologic or biologic, depending on how they are made and how they act in the body. But they are all used to block harmful responses from the body's immune system. DMARDs are sometimes combined with one another or with other medicines. By combining medicines, you may be able to take lower doses of individual medicines. This may reduce your risk of side effects.
Some medicines for rheumatoid arthritis may cause birth defects. If you are pregnant or are trying to become pregnant, talk with your doctor about your medicines.
Medicines to slow the disease
Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) are usually started within 3 months of your diagnosis. They are used to control the progression of RA and to try to prevent joint damage and disability. DMARDs are often given in combination with other medicines.
Commonly used nonbiologic DMARDs
- Antimalarials such as hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine
- Leflunomide
- Methotrexate
- Sulfasalazine
Less commonly used nonbiologic DMARDs
Biologic DMARDs (biologics)
- Abatacept
- Adalimumab
- Anakinra
- Certolizumab
- Etanercept
- Golimumab
- Infliximab
- Rituximab
- Tocilizumab
There is a newer biologic drug called tofacitinib (Xeljanz) for adults who have moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis. This medicine is for people who have not responded well to methotrexate or who cannot take it. Tofacitinib is taken by mouth. It reduces the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis and allows people to be more active. But the long-term safety of this medicine is still being studied.5, 6
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