2022 Western Medical Research Conference

The Link Between Rheumatoid Arthritis And Anemia

Why Do People With Rheumatoid Arthritis Develop Anemia?

The most common type of anemia in people with RA is the anemia of chronic disease, explains Sioban Keel, MD, an associate professor of medicine in the division of hematology at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle. "Anemia can occur in people who have ongoing inflammation in their body, including rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel diseases like Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis," she says.

The inflammation from RA interferes with the body's ability to recycle the iron in our blood and absorb iron from food, which can lead to anemia, says Dr. Keel.

Medications commonly used to manage RA, sometimes including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and steroids (also called corticosteroids), may also trigger anemia through a different mechanism of chronic blood loss. These drugs, especially the NSAIDs, can cause chronic irritation and bleeding of the stomach lining, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. This blood loss may be slow and not immediately noticeable, but over time, it can lead to anemia.

How Is RA-Related Anemia Treated?

Talk to your doctor if you're experiencing symptoms of anemia like those noted above, or if you feel that your other RA symptoms aren't under control. They will want to rule out non-RA related causes of anemia before recommending treatment, or changing your arthritis treatment plan if your medications could be contributing to anemia.

Treatment depends on which type of anemia you have — and it's possible to have both anemia of chronic disease and iron-deficiency anemia, notes the Cleveland Clinic.

Typically the treatment for RA-related anemia is to treat the underlying inflammation caused by the RA. And managing the inflammation and swollen joints associated with RA should help alleviate your anemia and its symptoms.

If your iron levels are low, your doctor may recommend iron supplementation, administered orally or intravenously, according to an article in The Rheumatologist. Powerful antacids, often given to people taking NSAIDs to protect their stomach lining, can diminish the absorption of iron from the intestines, according to UpToDate. This may lead to the need for intravenous rather than oral iron.

In cases of severe anemia, a blood transfusion or injections of erythropoietin, a synthetic hormone that may stimulate the production red blood cells, may be considered, notes CreakyJoints.

In chronically active RA inflammation, your doctor may ultimately recommend that you replace NSAIDs or steroids with one of the disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs), which are successful in remitting RA inflammation. An effective RA treatment regimen will improve both your joint symptoms and anemia, and you'll feel better all around.

Additional reporting by Deborah Shapiro.

Using Biologic Drugs To Treat Rheumatoid Arthritis

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Drugs For Treatment Of Rheumatoid Arthritis

This section has a list of generic name(s) and the several brand name(s) of the drugs used for the treatment of Arthritis - Rheumatoid Arthritis (Rheumatoid Arthritis ). Its purpose is to provide doctors and consumers a ready reckoner to find the relevant drugs. The information helps you learn more about the generic drug, including its brand name(s), price, dosage, side effects, adverse events, how to take and appropriate times to take it by simply click on the drugs. Plus there are FAQs too about each drug.

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Brand Names and Generic Names of Drugs for Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis Abatacept

Abatacept modifies the immune system in patients with rheumatoid arthritis who were not benefited from other treatments.

Aceclofenac

Aceclofenac is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), prescribed for fever and to relieve pain and swelling in osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis.

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Adalimumab

Adalimumab is prescribed to treat autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

Anakinra

Anakinra is a recombinant human interleukin 1 antagonist, prescribed for reducing the pain and swelling associated with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis either alone or in combination with methotrexate to patients (18 years or older) who have had an absence of clinical improvement of symptoms or inadequate response in therapy with one or more disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs).

Auranofin

Auranofin is an antirheumatic agent, prescribed for rheumatoid arthritis.

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Baricitinib

Baricitinib tablets are prescribed to treat adult patients suffering from moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis who show loss of response to one or more tumor necrosis factor antagonist treatment schedules.

Celecoxib

Celecoxib is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, prescribed for rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, juvenile arthritis, menstrual pain, and other pain.

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More... Certolizumab

Certolizumab is a therapeutic monoclonal antibody, prescribed for Crohn's disease and rheumatoid arthritis.

Choline Magnesium Trisalicylate

Choline Magnesium Trisalicylate is a type of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), prescribed for rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and acute shoulder pain.

Cyclosporine

Cyclosporine is an immunosuppressant, prescribed for prevention of organ rejection during transplantation.

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More... Denosumab

Denosumab is a human monoclonal antibody, prescribed for osteoporosis, treatment induced bone loss, bone metastases, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple myeloma and giant cell tumor of bone.

Diclofenac

Diclofenac is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) prescribed to treat mild-to-moderate musculoskeletal pain.

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More... Diflunisal

Diflunisal is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug(NSAID), prescribed for rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and mild to moderate pain.

Eicosapentaenoic Acid

Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) is an omega-3-fatty acid.

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Etanercept

Etanercept is a tumor-necrosis factor (TNF) blocker, prescribed for ankylosing spondylitis (type of joint pain that affects your back), juvenile arthritis (arthritis-related condition that develops in children), psoriasis, and rheumatoid (inflammation of the joints) and psoriatic arthritis.

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Etoricoxib

Etoricoxib is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), prescribed for osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and gouty arthritis.

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More... Famotidine and Ibuprofen

Famotidine and Ibuprofen contains histamine blocker and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), prescribed for relieving the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.

Fenoprofen

Fenoprofen is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agent, prescribed for pain and relief from rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.

Flurbiprofen

Flurbiprofen is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agent (NSAIA), prescribed for pain, tenderness, swelling, and stiffness caused by osteoarthritis (arthritis caused by a breakdown of the lining of the joints) and rheumatoid arthritis (arthritis caused by swelling of the lining of the joints), inflammation of eye, dysmenorrhea.

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More... Glucosamine

Glucosamine is a nutritional supplement, used in the treatment of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

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More... Gold Sodium Thiomalate

Gold Sodium Thiomalate is an antirheumatic agent, prescribed for rheumatoid arthritis.

Golimumab

Golimumab is a tumor necrosis factor (TNF) blocker, prescribed for rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, moderate to severe ulcerative colitis either alone or with other medications.

Hydrocortisone

Hydrocortisone is a corticosteroid, prescribed for severe allergies, arthritis, asthma, multiple sclerosis and skin conditions.

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More... Hydroxychloroquine

Hydroxychloroquine is an antimalarial agent, prescribed for malaria, rheumatoid arthritis, and lupus erythematous.

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Ibuprofen

Ibuprofen is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), prescribed for mild to moderate pain, inflammation and fever.

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More... Leflunomide

Leflunomide is a pyrimidine synthesis inhibitor, prescribed for rheumatoid arthritis.

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More... Lornoxicam

Lornoxicam is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), prescribed for moderate to severe pain, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis.

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More... Meclofenamate

Meclofenamate is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), prescribed for dysmenorrhea, pain, tenderness, inflammation, swelling and stiffness caused by certain types of arthritis.

Mefenamic Acid

Mefenamic Acid is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), prescribed for dysmenorrhea and other pain.

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More... Meloxicam

Meloxicam is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), prescribed for pain, swelling, and stiffness caused by breakdown of joints.

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More... Nabumetone

Nabumetone is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agent(NSAIA), used to treat pain and inflammation associated with muscle, bone and joint disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.

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Naproxen and Esomeprazole Magnesium

Naproxen and Esomeprazole Magnesium contains NSAID and a proton pump inhibitor (PPI), prescribed for rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, or ankylosing spondylitis.

Naproxen- Lansoprazole

Naproxen- Lansoprazole contains nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) and proton pump inhibitor, prescribed for osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis.

Nimesulide

Nimesulide is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, prescribed for painful inflammatory conditions, back pain, dysmenorrhea, postoperative pain, osteoarthritis, and fever.

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More... Oxaceprol

Oxaceprol is an anti-inflammatory agent used for the treatment of osteoarthritis or degenerative joint disorders and inflammation of connective tissues.

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More... Oxaprozin

Oxaprozin is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), prescribed for osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, or juvenile arthritis.

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Piroxicam

Piroxicam is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, prescribed to relieve the symptoms of rheumatoid and osteoarthritis, painful menstruation, postoperative pain.

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More... Rituximab

Rituximab is a monoclol antibody, prescribed for certain types of cancer such as lymphomas, leukemia, transplant rejection and some autoimmune disorders.

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Salsalate

Salsalate is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), prescribed for pain and inflammation due to arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Sarilumab

Sarilumab is prescribed for the treatment of moderate-to-severe rheumatoid arthritis in adult patients who have not shown adequate response either to one or more disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs).

Sulindac

Sulindac is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), prescribed for pain, tenderness, swelling, stiffness caused by osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis.

Tenoxicam

Tenoxicam is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agent (NSAIA), prescribed for pain and inflammation in muscles and joints.

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Tocilizumab Injection

Tocilizumab Injection is an interleukin-6 (IL-6) receptor blocker, prescribed for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (SJIA) in 2 year old children either alone or with other medications.

Tofacitinib

Tofacitinib is an enzyme inhibitor, prescribed for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) either alone or with other medications.

Tolmetin

Tolmetin is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, prescribed for rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis or juvenile arthritis.

Triamcinolone

Triamcinolone is a corticosteroid, prescribed for arthritis, skin, blood, kidney, eye, thyroid and intestinal disorders, severe allergies and asthma.

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More... Triamcinolone Hexacetonide

Triamcinolone Hexacetonide is an anti-inflammatory (steroidal), prescribed as adjunctive therapy for acute gouty arthritis, acute and subacute bursitis, acute nonspecific tenosynovitis, epicondylitis, rheumatoid arthritis, and synovitis of osteoarthritis.

Valdecoxib

Valdecoxib is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), prescribed for osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and painful menstruation and menstrual symptoms.

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