The management of the patient suffering from rheumatoid arthritis is complex and requires application, knowledge and understanding between the general practitioner and the specialists who take charge of these patients (rheumatologist, orthopedist, physiotherapists, etc.).

The therapeutic approach towards this (or any other) condition is based on scientific evidence and on the personal experience of the doctor. Unfortunately, often the lack of methodologically correct and non-sponsored studies, as well as the shortness of follow-up, can make a fundamental element (ie the scientific basis) of therapeutic decision-making in the presence of a patient with rheumatoid arthritis fail.

In light of the above, it is difficult to answer the question which arthritis drug is preferable based on the data currently available, and a reasonable attitude for the management of the adult affected by rheumatoid arthritis (problems apart constitute the shape of the child and of the elderly) is to rely on the most qualified international guidelines and the doctor’s experience. We encourage you to learn more about your condition from your prescriber and reliable online resources. As for the drugs that improve the quality of life in patients with arthritis, our reliable partner Borderhealth.org can help you save money without compromising on the quality of drugs that you buy.

Today many rheumatologists agree that therapy with underlying drugs should be started early, to prevent / limit erosive activity (which often occurs within 1-2 years of the onset of the condition) and should be continued for as long as the disease remains active.

Based on our experience the steroid in small doses (NSAIDs remain excellent symptomatic and the new COX-2 inhibitors should be reserved for patients at high risk of gastrointestinal NSAID ulcers.
It is our opinion that the use of minocycline would deserve more attention from controlled clinical studies, given the literature data that seem to indicate relative efficacy and good tolerability.

For refractory forms it is permissible to use other basic drugs that are certainly more problematic (cyclosporine, anti-TNF drugs, etc.), even in association, while risking potential important adverse events which can, in some cases, be minimized, frequently re-evaluating the patient.