Rheumatoid arthritis or rheumatoid arthritis in brief is an autoimmune disease that involves the body's immune system normally protects the body's attacking foreign substances, such as viruses and bacteria. In most cases, rheumatoid arthritis affects joints of the wrists, hands, elbows, ankles, feet and knees. Very often, the effect on the joint is symmetrical, which means that if a hand or a knee is associated, the other also feels similar symptoms. In addition, since RA can also affect body systems such as cardiovascular or respiratory tract, this is a systemic disease that can affect the whole body.
Frequent treatment options for rheumatoid arthritis
The objectives of the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis are as follows:
Set the disease to stop in remission or inflammation.
Avoid damage to organs and joints
Relieve symptoms
Improvement of general well-being and physical function
Reduce long-term complications
Doctors usually take a combination of strategies for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, including the following:
Early aggressive treatment - the first strategy of RA treatment is to stop or reduce inflammation as quickly as possible, as they say, the sooner the better.
Referral Guidance - Doctors generally refer to an inflammation during the disease activity, such as. Therefore, the ultimate goal of this line of treatment is to stop the progress and achieve forgiveness. Ultimately, this means that there are no signs or symptoms of active inflammation need to be present. A strategy to achieve this goal is called "the treatment of the goal".
Strict control - Set the activity RA disease to a lower level and keep it known as "strict control of RA." Studies show that a strict control delay or even prevent damage to the joints. Medications for RA include many of the medications used to treat rheumatoid arthritis. Some of them are mainly used to relieve symptoms of RA, while others are used to slow down or stop the disease and inhibit structural damage.
Medications for symptom relief - these are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs known as NSAIDs that are available over the counter or on prescription. These drugs are often used to relieve the inflammation of arthritis and pain. NSAIDS generally include naproxen sodium, ketoprofen, and ibuprofen, among others. Doctors can prescribe Celecoxib, which is a type of NSAID known as COX-2, for people who have or are at risk of stomach ulcers. These are considered safer for the stomach. Also, these drugs can be applied as a patch or cream to the skin, applied directly to the inflamed joint orally.
The drugs reduce the activities of the disease include the following
Corticosteroids - These drugs are prednisolone, prednisone and methyprednisolone, which are fast-acting and highly anti-inflammatory drugs. These are used in RA potentially damaging waiting DMARDs to control and NSAIDs are effective inflammation. Because of the possible side effects of these drugs, doctors generally prefer to use only for the shortest time possible and also low doses.FAME - This is an acronym for antirheumatics. FAME are drugs that help change the course of RA. Conventional FAME include azathioprine, cyclophosphamide, leflunomide, sulfasalazine, methotrexate and hudroxycholorquine. These drugs can be administered by infusion in a clinical route, orally, injected or self-administered.
Biological Products - These drugs are a subset of the DMARD. Organic products, however, were found to work faster than the DMARD and should be injected or administered by infusion in a clinic. Because these drugs target specific steps in the inflammatory process, which is not cleared to do the immune response of the body all like some other treatments for rheumatoid arthritis. Organic products can change slowly or progress the RA in several people, even if other treatments have not been able to help a lot.
JAK inhibitors - This is a new subcategory DMARDs called JAK inhibitors, which block JAK, Janus kinase pathways involved in the body immune response. Tofacitinib is one of these drugs to include in this category. Furthermore, unlike organic ones, JAK inhibitors can be administered orally.
Surgery - Surgery for RA can never be needed, but this can be an excellent choice for patients who have suffered permanent damage that limits mobility, daily activities and independence. Joint replacement surgery can effectively restore function and relieve pain in the joints that are severely damaged by the RA. The operation involves the replacement of the damaged parts of a common metal and plastic components. Knee prosthesis and hip are the most common and sometimes elbow, wrists, shoulders, ankles and other joints can also be considered for replacement surgery.
New therapies for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis
There is a new drug called Remicade a breakthrough in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. This medicine not only relieves pain, but can also prevent the progress of the RA. Remicade can stop the inflammatory changes that characterize the potentially debilitating RA condition and permanently damage the joints can cause chronic pain and disabilities. RA is a debilitating disease that often develops gradually in the elderly between 25 and 50 years. Remicade was developed by researchers when they discovered that a key factor of inflammation TNF, tumor necrosis factor, produced a chemical through the immune system. People who develop rheumatoid arthritis produce high levels of TNF, which stimulate cells to stimulate inflammation in the joints. Remicade is specifically chemical TNF to remove and so neutralize its effect. However, Remicade is not a remedy for rheumatoid arthritis, but the seals are obtained after traumatic arthritis and the inflammation decreases. Remicade can be injected twice a week at home or can be administered intravenously once every two months in a hospital.
