Dorothy FarrarAnti-inflammatory drugs
Antirheumatic drugs are drugs that are used to suppress inflammatory processes and to treat pain in rheumatic diseases. Antirheumatic drugs include both drugs that act exclusively symptomatically and drugs that can positively change the course of the disease.
What are anti-inflammatory drugs?
Three groups of active substances are known from the antirheumatic drugs. A distinction is made between steroidal, non-steroidal and slow-acting anti-inflammatory drugs. All three drug groups have different chemical structures and therefore have different effects.
The steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs include B. cortisone and prednisolone. Both are so-called steroidal immunosuppressants , which have a direct influence on the course of the disease.
The non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs act as painkillers, but do not affect the clinical picture. The long-acting antirheumatics, like the steroidal active ingredients, have an immunosuppressive effect on the immune system, but act very slowly.
Medical application, effect and use
The effect of the various antirheumatic drugs starts at different points in the rheumatic disease process. Rheumatic diseases have an autoimmune basis. The immune system attacks the body’s own connective tissue in the joints, which can lead to painful inflammatory processes and even deformation of the joint and supporting apparatus.
In order to be able to fight such a disease causally, the immune system must be influenced directly. An improvement in the course of the disease would result from a dampening of the excessive wrong reaction of the immune system. For z. B. cortisone.
In the body, cortisone is produced in increased amounts as a steroid hormone during stress reactions. It prepares the body for the emergency situation and inhibits existing inflammatory reactions in this context. This effect is taken advantage of with the cortisone-containing medication. The effect occurs quickly, but is associated with many side effects.
Slow-acting anti-inflammatory drugs such as B. azathioprine, also have an immunosuppressive effect, but the effect only occurs after weeks or even months. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, on the other hand, only dampen the sensation of pain by inhibiting prostaglandins, but do not suppress the rheumatic process.
Forms, groups and active ingredients
As already mentioned, there are three major groups of antirheumatic drugs. The first fast-acting group includes the glucocorticoids such as cortisone and prednisolone. Both drugs are applied differently depending on the clinical picture. This can be in the form of tablets or capsules. Ointments and creams containing cortisone are also often used. However, long-term use of cortisone can lead to serious side effects.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs also have a fast analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect. They are often contained in tablets or capsules, but also in ointments. The active substance groups of salicylates, propionic acid compounds, acetic acid compounds, oxicams and selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors are known. Salicylates, such as salicylic acid, are difficult to tolerate and are mostly used in ointments. Propionic acid compounds include the pain relievers ibuprofen , ketoprofen and naproxen. Representatives of the acetic acid compounds are, for. B. aceclofenac, bromfenac, diclofenac , acemetacin or indomethacin. They have a strong anti-inflammatory effect.
The oxicams piroxicam and meloxicam develop effects similar to those of the acetic acid compounds. However, they have a completely different chemical structure. The selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors, also known as coxibs, which include the drugs celecoxib, etoricoxib, valdecoxib and parecoxib, differ significantly in their effect from the other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. While all other NSAIDs inhibit both cyclooxygenase-1 and cyclooxygenase-2, this group of drugs does not. This only inhibits cyclooxygenase-2, which is why there is no increased tendency to bleed with this relatively new group of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
Herbal, natural and pharmaceutical alternatives
Alternative anti-inflammatory drugs are e.g. B. contained in certain medicinal plants. So e.g. For example, the African devil’s claw is used in rheumatic diseases. They are often used as supportive therapy for osteoarthritis .
Furthermore, the willow bark has good anti-rheumatic effects. It is brewed as a tea, which has antipyretic, analgesic and antirheumatic effects. The active ingredient of aspirin is contained in the willow bark.
Nettles are also said to have anti-rheumatic effects. Nettles also develop their effect through their content of valuable biologically active substances. In addition, they contain important antioxidants such as flavonoids and vitamins . They are often used in salads.
For the long-term treatment of rheumatic diseases, however, the slow-acting immunosuppressive drugs such as B. Azathioprine. These unfold their effect only after a long period of administration of several weeks or months. The long-acting anti-rheumatic drugs can reverse changes caused by the disease.
risks and side effects
The use of anti-inflammatory drugs is always associated with significant side effects. Long-term use of drugs containing cortisone can lead to diabetes , obesity and a permanent weakening of the immune system. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs inhibit blood clotting. Bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract can therefore occur with prolonged use. Long-acting anti-rheumatic drugs have fewer side effects and therefore replace medication containing cortisone in lengthy rheumatic therapy.
Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.