RA patients should be offered early intensive treatment

moderator

Rheumatoid arthritis patients should be offered intensive treatment when first diagnosed

Two studies, presented at the Annual European Congress of Rheumatology, suggest it is beneficial to intensify treatment with disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs when patients are first diagnosed.

http://www.pharmaceutical-journal.com/news-and-analysis/news/rheumatoid-arthritis-patients-should-be-offered-intensive-treatment-when-first-diagnosed/20068729.article

Mod B

stickywicket

I thought it had been known for years that early, aggressive treatment was best. I suspect one problem will be convincing the patients of this. We get a lot of people already on here who are scared of the meds. I shall, in future, refer them to this article. Thanks.

dreamdaisy

Surely this is already happening. My rheumatology department is very proud that they have scrapped the trying this for six months, trying that for another six, then trying this and that together. Money will be the crucial factor in this becoming more widespread. We're expensive patients who need these things for years and years . . . . DD

daffy2

We're expensive patients who need these things for years and years

That's true, but the alternative is hardly cheap, certainly not in the long term. Enabling patients to have some form of 'normal' life - work, independent living etc poses fewer problems, financial or practical, than consigning them to increasing disability. And it's not as if RA patients have brought the condition on themselves - hardly a lifestyle choice!