Rheumatoid arthritis, also commonly known as RA, is one of the most severe forms of arthritis an individual can have. About 1.3 million people in the United States suffer from this autoimmune disease that attacks one’s joints. The immune system will mistakenly attack normal cells within the body which can lead to inflammation in certain areas. RA is a chronic long term disease that cause edema, stiffness, pain and limited function of many joints. Many patient who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis state that their symptoms become worse in the morning or very late in the evening. RA may be hard to detect in many patients because of its subtle symptoms. Because many diseases behave like RA, it is hard to tell if achy joints and stiffness is a reliable symptom for this disease. Weakness, low grade fevers, loss of appetite are some of the first symptoms patients’ experience. Some other major signs and symptoms to look for are dryness of the eyes, mouth, nose and throat, stiff, locked joints particularly in the knees and elbows, and numbness or tingling in the hands. Although RA is a progressive disease that cannot be cured it is best that patients begin their treatment during the early stages; otherwise it can lead to permanent damage of the bones, joints, and cartilage. There are many treatment forms that are used in treating this disease. Disease modifying antirhumatic drugs such as Methotrexate and anti-inflammatories such as Mobic, are two classes of drugs that are highly effective for treating rheumatoid arthritis. Disease modifying anti rheumatic drugs are a class of medication commonly used to slow down the progression of the disease. DMARDs work by altering the genetic makeup and suppressing the body’s immune system. Dependi... ... middle of paper ... ... their mediation regimen closely. Many elderly patients are taking several drugs that can reduce the efficacy and increase the toxicity of one another. In order to avoid complications it is important to always educate the patients on proper usage, side effects and specific drug interactions. If a patient misses a dose they should never double up. This could increase their risk for possible overdose. Certain OTC drugs and herbal supplements can have adverse reactions and reduce the efficacy of these drugs. Patients should be advised to that alcohol or tobacco consumption may alter the absorption of the medication and should be avoided. Lab work should be completed routinely to avoid renal and liver toxicity when taking these two classes of drugs. If a patient is confused or thinking of altering their medication regimen the nurse and/or physician should be informed
Polypharmacy is the “concurrent use of several differ drugs and becomes an issue in older adults when the high number of drugs in a medication regimen includes overlapping drugs for the same therapeutic effect”(Woo & Wynne, 2011, p. 1426). The patient is currently taking several medications that can potential interact with each other, perform the same therapeutic effect, and creating side effects. The following is a list of her medications and their indications:
...estions if not 100% sure of something or use a double checking system. When a nurse is administrating medication, they should use the ten rights of medication administration (right patient, right drug, right route, right time, right dose, right documentation, right action, right form, right response, and right to refuse). Nurses should always keep good hand hygiene and always wear appropriate clothing to prevent from the spread of disease. Good communication with patients and healthcare team members is also key to success. Keeping on the eye on the patient within an appropriate time is important. If the patient ever seems to be looking different than their usual self vitals should be taken immediately. Encouraging patients to ask questions if they are unaware of something can prevent errors as well. Nurses should make sure the patient is on the same page as they are.
Rheumatoid arthritis is not curable. Medications will be recommended to relieve pain, reduce inflammation, slow the progression of RA, and save joints and tissues from permanent damage (Rheumatoid Arthritis, 2017). The most common medications are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) and disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARD), e.t.c. When having RA, it is important to exercise regularly, apply heat or cold to affected areas, relax, and eat healthy. Physical therapy is usually part of treatment for RA. The goal is to stimulate the bones, muscles, and joints to give them strength and flexibility (Physical Therapy for RA, n.d.). Foods that have lots of omega-3 (fish, chia seeds, flax seeds, and walnuts), high antioxidants like vitamin A, E, and C (berries, dark chocolate, spinach, kidney beans, pecans, and artichokes), and lots of fiber can help reduce inflammation (Foods that fight RA inflammation,
Osteoarthritis can be known as or sometimes called degenerative joint disease. Osteoarthritis (OA) is a disease that affects not only the old and sick, although 55 and older are most common to be affected, people of all ages may receive osteoarthritis (OA). Approximately 27 million Americans are sharing the same common chronic conditions of the joints.
The problem of Rheumatoid arthritis is it causes disabling pain and is difficult to postpone the rate of which it develops. There are a number of ways the pain aspect can be reduced, and processes are available to avoid pain and prevent inflammation. The most common way to prevent this aspect is the use of painkillers such as codeine and paracetamol, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen and naproxen, and corticosteroids drugs are usually used (4).
Autoimmune disease arises when a bodies own immune system inability to distinguish between the bodies one cells and foreign antigens. An individuals own body own immune system will attack against its own organs and tissues. The term autoimmunity was given to this inappropriate response. At first the thought that it was a result of the elemiation of self reactive lymphocytes during the development of bone marrow and the thymus. But then it was found that normal healthy individuals that had mature recirclating self reactive lymphocytes still have the possibility of having an immune reaction. The main function of the immune system is the ability to distinguish normal body constitvents from foreign substances such as bacteria, fungi, viruses, protozoas and paracites. Antibodies or lymphocytes recongnize and defend against the harmful agents. Both genetics and environmental factors can be causes of autoimmune disorders. The origin of most autoimmune diseases are note clearly understood.
"Rheumatoid Arthritis: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia." U.S National Library of Medicine. U.S. National Library of Medicine, n.d. Web. 14 May 2014.
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) Imagine being diagnosed with a condition that flares in and out of control repeatedly every year. Your doctor has told you that the cause could be genetic, or it could be directly related to previous toxins or illnesses you may have been exposed to, leaving you frustrated and looking for answers. None of your family members have ever had any trouble with their joints, but yours have been so painful and tender lately that even getting out of bed in the morning seems like a chore. Turns out, you have an autoimmune disease that affects about 1.3 million people in our country every year. Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic rheumatic disease that directly attacks your body’s joints and their surrounding tissues, causing pain, inflammation, and damage.
The prognosis for patients diagnosed with Rheumatoid arthritis is very good. Today’s technology and treatments help some patients live a healthy, normal life; they are able to work, enjoy social functions, exercise, and have a very physical life. But for others, RA can be very debilitating, and the progression of the disease gets worse even while maintaining all treatments prescribed by the doctor. Rheumatoid patients who maintain healthy lifestyles can manage their symptoms better.
Arthritis is of many types of which Rheumatoid or Osteoarthritis is the most common. It can be caused due to several factors such as misalignment, dehydration, protein deficiency, calcium deficiency or inflammation.
We will be looking at the roles of three people involved in the medication cycle starting with the doctor, then moving onto the Pharmacist and then onto the Enrolled nurse. The doctor’s role is to look at all the symptoms, medically diagnose the patient and to analysis their medication needs (Berman, Kozier & Erb, 2015). The doctor then writes the order or script of medications for the patient which needs to be taken to the pharmacy where the Pharmacist will make up the prescription and dispense the medication the pharmacist may also give information about drug interactions and side effects just to name a few. The Pharmacist is a licensed and trained person who has studied Pharmacology the study of how drugs effect living organisms (Berman,
The primary goals in treating people with RA are to reduce pain and to slow disease progression, without causing permanent side effects. Conventional treatment consists of a combination of drug therapy utilizing nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) with or without corticosteroids and disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) (Weisman, 2011). NSAIDs are drugs
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that causes the immune system to attack itself. Since symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) may come and go, they are often hard to diagnosis, thus, sufferers find themselves with a puzzle of mystery symptoms.
Arthritis and related conditions have been considered as the third largest contributor to direct health care expenditure, affecting nearly 46 million people in the USA. More important, the economic and social burden of arthritis is expected to grow, as the number of people with arthritis is expected to reach 67 million in the USA by 2030. Among various arthritis conditions, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the most common inflammatory arthritis worldwide. It is a chronic, progressive autoimmune disease characterized by cellular infiltration and proliferation of synovium, leading to progressive destruction of articular bone and cartilage. As RA tends to be progressive in nature, the current treatments, including conventional therapies and
Arthritis is one of the most prevalent diseases, it is the leading cause of disability in the U.S (). Moreover, the susceptibility to arthritis enhances with age, approximately half the population that reaches 65 years of age has arthritis (). Essentially, arthritis refers to hindrance to the joint such as pain, swelling and reduced range of motion (). There are over 100 types of arthritis and various ways that it can be contracted, this includes previous injuries to a joint, over usage, genetics and lifestyle factors (). Consequently, due to its frequency and challenging outcome, many individuals who have arthritis face a reduced quality of life (). The constant pain endured not only diminishes physical capabilities, but can have substantial