Abstract
DMARDs are a diverse range of drugs. They form a single group because they both improve symptoms and modify the course of the disease. They form the cornerstone of inflammatory arthritis management. A range of DMARDs exist. Methotrexate is most commonly used in clinical practice, followed by sulfasalazine and hydroxychloroquine. All DMARDs have potential adverse events and require monitoring, often with blood tests. Historically patients were treated with a single DMARD at a time (termed DMARD monotherapy). There has been a recent shift towards starting more than one DMARD at the same time (termed DMARD combination therapy) in patients with RA. This chapter will provide an overview of the different available DMARDs, their mechanisms of action, risks and benefits alongside the evidence base supporting their use.
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Scott, I.C., Galloway, J.B., Scott, D.L. (2015). Disease-Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drugs. In: Inflammatory Arthritis in Clinical Practice. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-6648-1_6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-6648-1_6
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