Drugs used to treat rheumatoid arthritis include four different classes of medications: nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), corticosteroids, disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), and biological response modifiers. Among the things that a healthcare provider should take into account when prescribing a rheumatoid arthritis medication are the person's general condition, the length of time he or she will take the medicine, and the medicine's effectiveness and potential side effects.
Most people who have rheumatoid arthritis take medications. Some rheumatoid arthritis medications are used only for pain relief; others are used to reduce inflammation. Still others are used to try to slow the course of the disease. Some important considerations to take into account when rheumatoid arthritis medication is prescribed include the person's general condition, the current and predicted severity of the illness, the length of time he or she will take the medicine, and the medicine's effectiveness and potential side effects.
Rheumatoid arthritis medication includes different classes of medicines:
Analgesics (pain relievers), including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
Corticosteroids
Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs)
Biological response modifiers.
Analgesics and Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Medications (NSAIDs)
Analgesics relieve pain; NSAIDs relieve pain and reduce inflammation. Some common pain relievers and NSAIDs used as rheumatoid arthritis medication include:
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