Antirheumatic agents
Antirheumatic agents
Antirheumatic agents (pronunciation: an-ti-rheu-mat-ic a-gents) are a class of drugs used to treat and manage rheumatic diseases. These diseases are characterized by inflammation and loss of function of the connective tissues, primarily in the joints.
Etymology
The term "antirheumatic" is derived from the Greek words "anti" meaning against, and "rheumatikos" meaning pertaining to rheum, which refers to the watery discharge from the mucous membranes that has a tendency to cause disease.
Types of Antirheumatic agents
There are two main types of antirheumatic agents: Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) and Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drugs (DMARDs).
- NSAIDs - These are drugs that provide analgesic (pain-killing) and antipyretic (fever-reducing) effects, and, in higher doses, anti-inflammatory effects.
- DMARDs - These are drugs that work by altering the underlying disease rather than treating symptoms. They are often used to slow down the progression of rheumatic diseases.
Related Terms
- Rheumatoid Arthritis - A chronic inflammatory disorder affecting many joints, including those in the hands and feet.
- Inflammation - A localized physical condition in which part of the body becomes reddened, swollen, hot, and often painful, especially as a reaction to injury or infection.
- Connective Tissue - Tissue that connects, supports, binds, or separates other tissues or organs, typically having relatively few cells embedded in an amorphous matrix, often with collagen or other fibers, and including cartilaginous, fatty, and elastic tissues.
- Joints - The areas at which two or more bones meet.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Antirheumatic agents
- Wikipedia's article - Antirheumatic agents
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