Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease that in many cases affects the joints of the hands and feet, says the Mayo Clinic. The disease stems from inflammation and thickening of the synovial membrane that lines the cavity around the joint. This leads to painful swelling as fluid begins to build up in the joint cavity. According to the Mayo Clinic, the incidence of rheumatoid arthritis is two to three times higher in women than in men, and a class of drugs called disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) is one option for treatment.
Methotrexate (Rheumatrex)
According to the Drugs website, methotrexate is an oral prescription medication for the treatment of severe cases of rheumatoid arthritis that do not respond well to other therapies. It is not a cure for rheumatoid arthritis, but it alleviates the pain, swelling and stiffness associated with it. The adult dose is 7.5mg that you take once a week. It is important that you do not take methotrexate daily, because this can lead to a fatal overdose, says the Drugs website. You should not take nonsteroidal anti-inflammaory drugs like aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen with methotrexate because the combination may cause severe bone marrow suppression and very low white and red blood cell and platelet counts. If you experience a dry cough at any time during therapy, you should tell your doctor because this may be a sign of a dangerous lung disease caused by methotrexate.
Leflunomide (Arava)
Leflunomide is a prescription DMARD that you take orally as a tablet once daily for symptomatic relief of rheumatoid arthritis, says Medline Plus. For the first three days of treatment, you will take 100mg and after that your doctor will adjust the dose to 20mg. If you experience serious side effects such as rash, difficulty breathing, chest pain or an increased heart rate, you should call your doctor immediately. More common side effects include headache, hair loss, diarrhea, dizziness and weight loss.
Hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil)
The Monthly Prescribing Reference website says that hydroxychloroquine is a disease-modifying antirheumatic drug that doctors prescribe for rheumatoid arthritis after other treatments have been unsuccessful. The drug is supplied as 100mg tablets, and the initial adult dose is 400mg to 600mg a day, taken with food or milk. For maintenance therapy, your doctor will reduce the dose to 200mg to 400mg a day, according to the Monthly Prescribing Reference website. If you are on long-term hydroxychloroquine therapy, your doctor will check for blood disorders, eye problems and muscle weakness. If you experience any of these side effects or if your condition has not improved after six months, your doctor will discontinue treatment. Other side effects include hair bleaching, hair loss, nausea, anorexia and weight loss.
