RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS
What is Rheumatoid Arthritis?
Rheumatoid Arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disorder that affects joints. It usually affects the small joints, such as feet and hands, first and gradually progresses to knees, ankles, and elbows. It is often confused with osteoarthritis due to this reason; however, rheumatoid arthritis is different because it is an autoimmune disease (when your immune system attacks your own body cells). Also, the pain on either side of the body is usually symmetrical and can come and go. Aside from the pain, this disease can also cause fatigue, fever, and joint pain.
Symptoms
- tender, warm, swollen joints
- joint deformity
- morning stiffness
- rheumatoid nodules
- fatigue
- fever
- weight loss
Causes
Rheumatoid arthritis is caused by the immune system’s attacks on the synovium (lining of the membranes that surrounds the joints), which causes inflammation. The inflammation eventually damages the cartilage and the bone, causing the tendons and the ligaments to stretch out and weaken. This ultimately leads to joint deformity.
Risk Factors
- Women
- Age 40 – 60
- Family History
- Smoking
Tests and Diagnosis
- Blood Test
- Look for elevated erythrocytes sedimentation rate
- shows the inflammatory process
- Look for rheumatoid factor
- Look for anti-cyclic cirtullinated peptide antibodies
- X-rays
- To track the progression in the jointed
Treatment & Drugs
- NSAIDS
- For pain
- Ex.
- Over the counter: ibuprofen, naproxen
- Prescription: meloxicam, celebrex
- Steroids
- Reduce inflammation, pain, and slow down joint damage
- Ex.
- DMARDs (Disease-modifying anti rheumatic drugs)
- Slow down the progression of the disease and prevent the joints and other tiessuse from getting permanently damaged
- Ex: Prescription: methotrexate, sulfasalazine, minocycline, lefunomide, hydroxychloroquine
- Immunosuppressant
- Suppressing of the immune system of the disease
- Prescription: Cyclosporine, cyclophosphamide
- TNF-alpha inhibitors
- Reduce pain, tender or swollen joints, and morning stiffness
- Ex: Prescription: adalimumab, infliximab, etanercept
- Other drugs
- Targets inflammation process in the body
- Ex: Prescription: abatacept, rituximab
- Therapy
- Find different ways to help alleviate the pain through exercises, devices, or using different muscles or joints in your body to make daily tasks less painful
- Surgery
- To replace or repair damaged joints or tendons by:
- replacing it with a prosthetic (joint replacement)
- fusing a joint to stabilize or realign the joint (joint fusion)
- repairing the joints around the inflamed joints
