Once diagnosed with RA, the MD will usually prescribe some medication(s) that will help reduce inflammation, reduce damage, and alter the body's response to the disease. This info is from the
Arthritis Foundation website, which is our best "official" resource for info on every kind of arthritis.
The main categories of drugs used to treat RA are:
Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs): These drugs are used to reduce inflammation and relieve pain. These are medications such as aspirin, ibuprofen, indomethacin and COX-2 inhibitors such as valdecoxib and celecoxib.
Analgesic Drugs: These drugs relieve pain, but don’t necessarily have an effect on inflammation. Examples of these medications are acetaminophen, propoxyphene, mepeidine and morphine.
Glucocorticoids or Prednisone: These are prescribed in low maintenance doses to slow joint damage caused by inflammation.
Disease Modifying Antirheumatic Drugs (DMARDs): These are used with NSAIDs and/or prednisone to slow joint destruction caused by RA over time. Examples of these drugs are methotrexate, injectable gold, penicillamine, azathioprine, chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine, sulfasalazine and oral gold.
Biologic Response Modifiers: These drugs directly modify the immune system by inhibiting proteins called cytokines, which contribute to inflammation. Examples of these are etanercept, infliximab, adaliumumab and anakinra.
Protein-A Immuoadsorption Therapy: This is not a drug, but a therapy that filters your blood to remove antibodies and immune complexes that promote inflammation.
More to come later!
Cheerio!
Elizabeth