Remicade Medication for Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is a painful condition in which your immune system attacks your joints, causing inflammation of the lining that surrounds them. There are a number of treatments available for rheumatoid arthritis, including Remicade, a brand name for the prescription injectable drug infliximab.

Function

• Remicade works by inhibiting the actions of an immune system chemical known as TNF-Alpha, which causes inflammation.

Effects

• By decreasing the effects that TNF-Alpha has upon your body, Remicade relieves the pain, swelling, and morning stiffness associated with rheumatoid arthritis, explains the Mayo Clinic.

Time Frame

• For the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, doctors typically begin treatment with Remicade by administering two doses of Remicade two to six weeks apart, and then giving an additional dose of the drug once every eight weeks, explains RxList.

Risks

• Remicade poses an increased risk for severe bacterial or viral infections like tuberculosis or pneumocystosis, warns RxList. Other dangers associated with Remicade include congestive heart failure, lymphoma, and demyelinating diseases, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Considerations

• Because Remicade is known to cause fetal harm in laboratory animals, doctors rarely prescribe the drug for use in pregnant women. If you have a history of bone marrow problems, diabetes, Guillian-Barre syndrome, hepatits B, liver disease, multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, seizures, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), or tuberculosis, it may not be safe for you to take Remicade.