If you are
suffering from joint pain then for sure you are suffering from a disease
condition called arthritis. This disease condition comes in many forms. It can
be in the form of rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and gouty arthritis.
There are also forms of arthritis that is brought about by other diseases such
as sarcoidosis, psoriatic arthritis, and many others. Arava is a drug medicine of
choice for this condition. The active ingredient of this drug is leflunomide.
This drug is used for over two decades now as the main drug to treat arthritis.
It works by eliminating the pain being felt that is brought by this condition.
It is a drug that acts slowly to gradually decrease the inflammation of the
involve parts of the body. Lymphocytes are the one responsible for the
inflammatory process being felt in the joints. In this regard, leflunomide
switches off the lymphocytes, thus, causing gradual decreasing the
inflammation.
This drug
therapy is being use to treat rheumatoid arthritis for adult patient. It acts
by reducing the clinical symptoms of this disease condition. It facilitates
improvement in the physical functionality. It is important to inform your
medical service provider in case of taking other medication such as aspirin or
nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. When starting on this therapy, the
loading dose interval is 24 hours. The initial dose would be 100 mg once a day
for three days. As for maintenance therapy, a 20 mg tablet is recommended. Four
to six weeks of using Arava, you will observe gradual improvement in the
clinical signs and symptoms. The tablet comes in 10 mg and 20 mg and are packed
in a container usually bottle. The 100 mg tablet is stored in blister
pack. The 10 mg table is usually round
in shape, film coated tablet, white in color, and has ZBN embossed in one side.
The 20 mg tablet is light yellow in color, film coated that is triangular in
shape, and has ZBO embossed on one side. However, the 100 mg tablet is round,
white in color, film coated with ZBP embossed on one side. This medication has
no additive effect, does it is safe to use in long term.
This drug is
contraindicated to people with hypersensitivity reaction to leflunomide.
Pregnant woman should avoid using this drug as it may have harmful effect to
fetus. Patient with disease condition such as renal impairment, diabetes, live
vaccination, blood dyscracia, and immunodeficiency is also discouraged to use
this treatment. It is also advised not to be given to lactating or nursing
women. While on this medication you may experience some adverse effect such as
hair loss, rash, elevation in the AST and ALT liver enzymes, slight fever,
general body weakness, migraine, cyst, palpitation, development of varicose
vein, pain in the bone, and ulceration of the skin.
Keep Arava
in 25 degree Celsius room temperature. Keep this medicine out of children’s
reach. Discard once the product is expired. Follow proper medicine
disposal. Store this drug in its
original package and close the container tightly.
