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Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)
- 2.1 million adults have RA
- 2-3x more women than men have RA
- Hands are most affected
- RA causes joint destruction, dysfunction, deformity, and pain
- Onset is 20-45 years of age
- Other RA symptoms are pericarditis, pleuritis, vasculitis
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Anti-Rheumatics
- Disease Modifying Antirheumatic Drugs (DMARD's): Inactivate TNF (an inflammatory mediator), inhibit DNA synthesis and cell production.
- NSAID's and glucocorticoids are used as symptom management as they do not alter or slow joint damage in RA.
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Common DMARD's
- Methotrexate (Rheumatrex): Inhibits DNA synthesis
- Cyclosporine (Sandimmune, Neoral): Inhibits IL-2 Brand names indicate different bioavailability of drug and are therfore not interchangable.
- Etanercept (Enbrel): Inhibits TNF, a pro inflammatory factor
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