Arthritis Treatments - General
Overview of Medications
There are a variety of medications used for scleroderma, arthritis, and autoimmune and rheumatic diseases. Which medication to use is dependent upon factors such as the patient, the symptoms, the doctors, and in some cases, the patient's insurance company (what is approved and what isn't).
This section covers specific medications generally used to treat these diseases as well as alternative treatments that have been proven to relieve some of the symptoms associated with scleroderma. It also covers some of the treatments that have proven to be ineffective for scleroderma and other rheumatic diseases. (Also see Scleroderma Clinical Treatments and Clinical Trials)
To learn about the medications and treatments for specific symptoms, such as gastrointestinal and pulmonary involvement, visit the page for that particular scleroderma symptom.
Old medications and new targeted therapies in systemic sclerosis (SSc). This review focuses on old and new therapies in the management of SSc in clinical practice. PubMed, Rheumatology (Oxford), 2014 Jul 26.
Treatment of Systemic Sclerosis Complications: What to Use When First-Line Treatment Fails—A Consensus of Systemic Sclerosis Experts. Symptoms treatment recommendations by over 100 scleroderma experts, for scleroderma renal crisis (SRC), digital ulcers (DU), pulmonary hypertension (PAH/PH), reflux, skin involvement, and arthritis. Seminars in Arthritis and Rheumatism Volume 42, Issue 1 , Pages 42-55, August 2012. (Also see Scleroderma Renal Crisis, Digital Ulcers, Pulmonary Hypertension, Reflux, Skin Involvement, Skeletal Involvement, and Dr. Janet Pope)
Autoimmunity. Autoimmune disease is a disorder that occurs because of autoimmunity--a disease that is caused by an immune response to the body of the patient himself or herself. There are several ways to treat autoimmune diseases. ISN.
Medication Websites
Clinical Trials and Open Enrollments for Scleroderma ISN.
Free Medication Programs. ISN.
Medicine Guide. Medicine Guides provide members of the public with up to date, reliable and understandable information about medicines. Medicine.org.uk.
Specific Drug Information Prescription drug information for consumers and professionals. Drugs.com
About Medications
Video: Avoiding Medication Mistakes. Taking the wrong medication or the wrong dose can be an easy mistake to make. It can also be life threatening. In this Consumer Update video, FDA Drug Safety Expert, Cindi Fitzpatrick, R.N., provides tips on avoiding medication mistakes. FDA.
Medication Interactions
Vitamin C and Chemotherapy: Bad Combo? The vitamin C blunted the effectiveness of the chemotherapy drugs from 30% to 70%, depending on the dose of vitamin C and the chemo drug. WebMD. 10/01/08. (Also see Alternative Treatements)
Fruit Juices Block Common Drugs. David G. Bailey, PhD, reports that grapefruit, orange, and apple juices decrease the absorption of several important medications:WebMD. 08/19/08.
Alternative Medicine, Herbs, Vitamins and Scleroderma
Scleroderma and Alternative Medicine, Herbs, and Vitamins What natural, healthy things can you do to help improve scleroderma? ISN.
Anesthesia Considerations for Systemic Sclerosis (SSc, or Scleroderma)
Anesthesia Considerations for Systemic Sclerosis (SSc, or Scleroderma). Care should be taken to select the best anesthetic or analgesia for systemic sclerosis (scleroderma) patients, with consideration of their entire medical history plus general risk factors for scleroderma. ISN.
| Overview Avoid Steroids, Prednisone Manage Cardiac and Vascular Issues |
Manage Gastrointestinal Issues Case Studies |
Antibiotics
Antibiotic interaction may raise heart death risk. Doctors have known for years that the antibiotic erythromycin can, in rare cases, spark an abnormal and sometimes fatal heartbeat. However, combining it with several common drugs--Cardizen, Diltiazem, Tiazac, Dilacor, verapamil, Calan, Isoptin --may dramatically worsen that risk. Expired article from The New Zealand Herald. 09/09/04 (Also see Hypertension)
Ineffective Treatments: Minocycline and Scleroderma ISN.
Ineffective Treatments: D-Penicillamine and Scleroderma ISN.
Clinical Trials and Open Enrollments for Scleroderma ISN.
Hormones
Hormone therapy in rheumatic diseases. The optimization of the therapeutical use of steroid hormones such as glucocorticoids, estrogens or D hormone is now possible following recent basic and clinical research achievements. C. Maurizio. Current Opinion in Rheumatology. 13 January 2010.
Immunostimulants (Imiquimod)
Imiquimod: Potential risk of an immunostimulant. This case highlights the potential risk of using imiquimod cream (an immunostimulant) in a patient who has a condition requiring immunosuppression, such as autoimmune disease or an organ transplant. PubMed, Australas J Dermatol. 2004 May;45(2):123-4.
Mainstream Medications
Mainstream Medications are the pharmaceuticals that are normally prescribed by rheumatologists for the treatment of scleroderma and other rheumatic diseases. ISN.
| Overview Anesthesia Biologics DMARDs FDA Warnings and Recalls Glucocorticoid, Steroids |
Immunosuppressants IVIg NSAIDs Statins Vaccinations |
Medicinal Metals: Gold, Platinum
Gold and some other metals have been proven to suppress the inflammatory process. DMARDs such as Auranofin and Gold sodium thiomalate are forms of gold used to treat rheumatic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. ISN.
FDA Warnings on Medications and Treatments
FDA warnings and alerts have been issued for some of the medications and treatments used for scleroderma and other rheumatic disease. ISN.
Scleroderma Treatments
Scleroderma Treatments and Clinical Trials. There have been significant advances in scleroderma treatment research. This research has led to treatments that not only improve the symptoms, but the overall quality of life. ISN.
| Overview —Symptoms and Treatments —Scleroderma Experts —Scleroderma Research Open Enrollments |
Completed: Positive Completed: Awaiting Completed: Inconclusive Completed: Negative |
Vaccinations and Scleroderma
Vaccinations such as flu shots and pneumonia shots are recommended for patients with scleroderma and other autoimmune diseases. However, before receiving a vaccination of any kind, patients should consult their physicians.