This article focuses on the drug therapies for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). A working knowledge of the drugs used to treat RA is essential so that home health care profession als can educate patients about their drug therapy and monitor their progress, so that the many potential complications of drugs used in the treatment of RA can be avoided. A table of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAID), doses, dose intervals, and maxi mum daily doses is included.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Reilly P., Littlejohn G.Current treatment concepts in arthritisAust Fam Physician.1989;18:1499-1513.
2.
Brown C.Key pharmacokinetics of arthritis drugsUS Pharmacist.1988;13:49-67.
3.
Sienknecht C.Care of the person with rheumatoid arthritisCompr Ther.1999;16:29-35.
4.
Lieveld P., Bleidt B.Servicing and counseling the geriatric arthritic patientUS Pharmacist.1989:14:47-51.
5.
Williams H.Clegg D.Basic therapy of rheumatoid arthritis: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugsCompr Thor, 1990;16:58--64.
6.
Drugs for rheumatoid arthritisMed Lett.1991;33:65-70.
7.
Bennett R.Treatment strategies for ostco- and rheumatoid arthritisUS Pharmacist.1990;15:30-43.
8.
Brooks P., Day R.Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs-Differences and similaritiesN Engl J Med.1991;324:1716-1725.
9.
Committee on Safety of Medicines.Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs and serious gastrointestinal adverse reactions-1Br Med J.1986;292:614.
10.
Levy R., Smith D.Clinical differences among nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs: Implications for therapeutic substitution in ambulatory patientsDrug Intell Clin Pharm.1989;23:76-85.
11.
Lanza F.Endoscopic studies of gastric and duodenal injury after the use of ibuprofen, aspirin, and other nonsteroidal antiinflammatory agentsAm J Med.1984;77:19-24.
12.
Carson J., Strom B.Morse M., et al.The relative gastrointestinal toxicity of the nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugsArch Intern Med.1987;147:1054-1059.
13.
Griffin M., Ray W., Schaffner W.Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug use and death from peptic ulcer in elderly personsAnn Intern Med.1988;109:359-363.
14.
Silverstein F.Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and peptic ulcer diseasePostgrad Med.1991:89:33-40.
15.
Dunn M., Simonson M., Davidson E., Scharschmidt L., Sedor J.Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and renal functionJ Clin Pharmacol.1988;28:524-529.
16.
Scharschmidt L., Feinfeld D.Renal effects of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugsHasp Physician.1989;25(8):29-39.
17.
Sack K.Update on NSAIDs in the elderlyGeriatrics . 1989;44:71-90.
18.
Boynton C.Dick C., Mayor G.NSAIDS: An overviowJ Clin Pharmacol.1988;28:512-517.
19.
Wolf R.Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugsArch Intern Med.1984;144:1658-1660.
20.
Hansten P., Horn J.All nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are not alike with regard to drug interactionsDrug Interactions Newslett , 1987;7:7-11.
21.
Pugh M., Pugh C.Current concepts in clinical therapeutics: Disease modifying drugs for rheumatoid arthritisClin Pharm.1989;6:475-491.
22.
Risken W., Gottlieb N.Gold therapy for rheumatoid arthritis: Use of injectable and oral preparationsHosp Formulary.1985;20:1232-1237.
23.
Delafuente J., Osborn T.Review of auranofin, an oral chrysotherapcutic agentClin Pharm.1984;3:121-127.
24.
Lin BR, ed. Facts and Comparisons.Philadelphia, Pa: Lippincott; 1991.
25.
Wilkens R.New perspectives of secondary and tertiary therapy for rheumatoid arthritisDrugs. 1989;37:739-754.
26.
Tugwell P., Bennett K., Gent M.Methotrexate in rheumatoid arthritisAnn Intern Med.1987;107:353-366.
27.
Arnold M., Schrieber L., Brooks P.Immunosuppressive drugs and corticosteroids in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritisDrugs.1988;36:340-363.