Approach to Therapeutics Flashcards
What are the broad therapeutic categories used in treating inflammatory arthritis?
1) NSAID’s
2) Disease Modifying anti Rheumatic Drugs (DMARDS)
3) Biologics
4) Corticosteroids
What are the general aims of treatment of the patient with RA?
- Retard disease progression
- Modify disease activity
What is the importance of early and aggressive managment in RA?
- obtaining optimal outcomes in RA
- improve symptoms and prevent joint damage
What are the benefits, risks and cost effectiveness of each of the main classes of drugs used to treat RA patients?
Biologic DMARD’s:
Benefits - work rapidly when used with Methotrexate, well tolerated
Risks - Some associated toxicities, infection
Cost - High
Corticosteroids:
Benefits - short term benefit
Risks - long-term toxicity
Whate 2 drugs are most commonly used in the treatment of RA?
1 - Methotrexate
2 - Sulfasalazine