2) Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs)
Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs are used to interfere with the mistaken inflammatory response against joint tissues. DMARDs are believed to be the standard class of medication to treat rheumatoid arthritis as they make noticeable improvements in early and late staged rheumatoid. Although DMARDs are not considered part of symptomatic treatment, they help relieve the pain and reduce morning stiffness. DMARDs may not seem to be effective in the first week so rheumatologists always advise patients to keep taking them. Although most of the disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs proved their effectiveness, they may cause serious adverse effects such as hair loss, bone marrow depression, and different infections. Doctors often prefer hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil), methotrexate (Trexall), and Leflunomide (Arava) in treating rheumatoid arthritis.
