Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment

What kind of treatment options are there for sufferers of rheumatoid arthritis? Is there one "right" treatment or many possible treatments? Is one drug sufficient or is a combination of drugs a better option? Treatment options for Rheumatoid Arthritis abound from drug therapy to supplements. Rheumatoid Arthritis is an immune system disease so treatments of other immune system conditions such as allergies may also help.

Different types of drugs are used in the treatment of RA. These types include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen, disease-modifiying antirheumatoid drugs (DMARDs) such as methotrexate or antimalarials, corticosteroids such as prednisone, and the newest treatments-biologic response modifiers (biologics) such as Enbrel and Kineret.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) reduce inflammation and relieve pain. Ibuprofen, aspirin, naproxen sodium, and ketoprofen are examples of NSAIDs. A new form of NSAIDs available in recent years is the COX-2 inhibitors. These also relieve pain and reduce inflammation but without some of the side effects of other NSAIDs. COX-2 inhibitors are less likely to cause stomach bleeding and kidney problems. Celebrex and Bextra are two COX-2 inhibitors approved in the US.

Disease-modifying antirheumatoid drugs (DMARDs) are a second type of drugs used in the treatment of Rheumatoid arthritis. These disease-modifying drugs work by altering the immune system response and so reduce or prevent the inflammation. By reducing the inflammation these drugs also help prevent damage to the joints. Methotrexate is the most commonly prescribed of these drugs. Others in this category include Plaquenil, Cytoxan, and gold. Arava is a new drug in this category and it works by inhibiting production of inflammatory cells.

Biologic response modifiers (biologics) are the newest treatment on the market for Rheumatoid arthritis. Remicade, Enbrel, Humira, and Kineret are currently approved for the treatment of Rheumatoid arthritis in the US. Cytokines play an important role in the body regulating inflammation. Biologics affect the cytokines in a way to reduce inflammation. Remicade, Enbrel, and Himira work by inhibiting a cytokine called tumor necrosis factor (TNF). Kineret works differently by inhibiting the cytokine interleukin-1 (or IL-1). The difference between these biologic drugs and other treatments for RA is that these affect specific areas of the immune system rather than affecting the immune system as a whole.

Recent studies show that the best results for sufferers of Rheumatoid arthritis come from combinations of these types of drugs for treatment. Studies of people treated only with methotrexate or only with a COX-2 inhibitor showed less improvement in their condition than people treated simultaneously with both methotrexate and a COX-2 inhibitor. Talk to your physician about the different combinations that are available to you. Small dosages of several drugs may be a better alternative than large doses of just one type.