Dmard drugs: uses, types, and side effects

Autoimmune disease is a disease in which a person's immune system attacks his own body. In this condition, the immune system mistakenly considers healthy cells in the body as foreign substances, so the body begins to create antibodies that will attack these cells.

In order not to cause severe effects of autoimmune diseases, patients experiencing it must take medication. One that is often used is the DMARD drug.

What is a DMARD drug?

DMARD (disease modifying anti rheumatic drugs) is a class of drugs designed to treat autoimmune conditions such as rheumatism (RA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA), ankylosing spondylitis (AS), and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

DMARD drugs are also used for various other diseases such as myositis, vasculitis, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and some types of cancer.

Although it can reduce pain, DMARD is not a painkiller. These drugs work to reduce inflammation by focusing on the underlying cause of the disease, not by treating the symptoms directly.

DMARD will slow down the progression of the disease, which in turn will reduce your symptoms over time while you are on treatment.

The use of this drug cannot be done freely. You need close supervision and of course a prescription from a doctor so that the drug does not have a dangerous effect. Usually, the doctor will also prescribe other drugs that will be used together with the DMARD as part of the treatment.

Types of DMARDs and how they work

Source: Gazeta Metro

These drugs are divided into two types, namely conventional DMARD drugs and biological therapy. Each drug has its own way of working. Here's the explanation.

Conventional DMARD drugs

Conventional medicines are slow-acting DMARD drugs and treatment can take up to weeks for you to experience an effect. Some of the drugs that are often used include:

• Methorexate (MTX). The MTX drug works by changing the way immune cells process a protein that reduces inflammation. This drug can also inhibit the growth of certain cells such as cancer cells, bone marrow cells, and skin cells. Because of its usefulness, this drug is also used for cancer treatment therapy.
• Chloroquine. Commonly used to treat malaria, chloroquine can also be used to treat inflammation such as rheumatism. Chloroquine works by preventing the growth of parasites that live in red blood cells. This drug also functions to secrete cytokines that can reduce inflammation.
• Azathioprine. Azathioprine treats joint swelling experienced by patients with rheumatic conditions or other complications such as lupus or myositis. This drug works by suppressing the activity of the immune system in the body.
• Leflunomide. The drug Leflunomide inhibits the formation of DNA, which plays an important role in cell replication, including those of the immune system. Later, inhibited cell formation will reduce the strength of the immune system which can cause pain in people with rheumatism.
• Sulfasalazine (SSZ). Sulfasalazine is a combination drug of salicilate and antibiotics. This medication works to reduce swelling and irritation due to inflammation. This medicine can also prevent joint damage.

Biological DMARD drugs

Biological DMARD will be given when the patient does not respond to conventional DMARD treatment. Also referred to as biologic therapy, this medication can work faster than conventional DMARD. Sometimes this biological therapy is given together with conventional DMARD drugs such as methotrexate.

This class of drugs works specifically to inhibit certain cytokines that cause inflammation. One that includes this drug is an anti-TNF drug.

Anti-TNF prevents the appearance of a named protein tumor necrosis factor excess in the blood or joints so as not to cause further inflammation or damage to body cells.

Side effects that can arise from the drug DMRAD

Like other drugs, DMARD also has some side effects. Because DMARD drugs work by suppressing the immune system to control inflammation, the impact on the patient's risk of infection will increase.

Some common signs of infection are fever, sore throat, or painful urination. However, different types of DMARD drugs can also have different side effects.

The drug methotrexate can cause nausea, swollen gums, and extreme fatigue. Chloroquine can produce side effects in the form of nausea and diarrhea at the beginning of treatment.

Even in rare cases, chloroquine drugs can cause vision loss. Meanwhile, the side effects of the drug leflunomide can include itching or peeling skin.

It is different from biological DMARD drugs, the side effects produced are even more dangerous. The use of some drugs can increase the risk of latent tuberculosis infection, in which TB bacterial infection does not cause symptoms but later on can develop into tuberculosis.

Some other infections that can also be side effects of biological therapy include hepatitis and CMV.

Therefore, if you suffer from an autoimmune disease and want to choose DMARD as a treatment, it is very necessary to consult a doctor, especially if you are also experiencing other conditions such as pregnancy.

In order not to cause complications, also ask your doctor about the benefits and side effects of drugs and don't forget to discuss them with your family.