A new drug used to treat people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) will be made available to patients using the Unified Health System (SUS). The integration of the drug in the public network had already been announced in 2017, but only now the measure comes into force.
The tofacitinib citrate , name of the substance, can cost up to 7 thousand reais in the private chain. It is the first oral drug to treat the disease, with the same effectiveness as injectables and less side effects.
The drug has the function of fighting the inflammatory process, relieving symptoms (pain and stiffness) and decreasing the chances of disease progression.
The use of the medication is directed at patients in adulthood and who have not improved after using other medications.
Effects of rheumatoid arthritis on the body
The arthritis rheumatoid is a chronic autoimmune inflammation that can affect people of any age and gender. However, it is more common in women aged 30 to 50 years.
In people with this disease the body attacks the tissues themselves, causing various inflammations in the joints.
Symptoms involve pain, stiffness of the joint, loss of mobility and local swelling. Gradually, patients have limitations in carrying out daily activities.
Gradually, rheumatoid arthritis initially affects the hands, wrists and feet, but can progress to larger areas, such as the shoulders, knees and hips. In addition, in more severe cases, it can reach skin, eyes, lungs and blood vessels.
Without proper treatment, there are risks of atrophy, loss of locomotor functions and anatomical deformities.
Although there is no cure for RA, there are treatments capable of improving the quality of life of patients.
The drugs offered by the public network or present on the market help to keep the disease under control and reduce symptoms.