Is Humira Used For Psoriasis

Before Starting Psoriasis Humira

Here are just a few of the things youshould discuss with your doctor before taking HUMIRA:

• Any infections or symptoms ofinfection
• Recurring infections or asusceptibility to infections
• Being diabetic
• Have or have close contact withsomeone with tuberculosis
• Live in an area where certainfungal infections are more common .Such infections include blastomycosis, coccidioidomycosis, and histoplasmosis.
• Have or have had Hepatitis B
• Have or have had cancer, heartfailure, multiple sclerosis or Guillain-Barre syndrome
• Any scheduled or plannedsurgeries or vaccines
• If pregnant or planning tobecome pregnant
• If breastfeeding or planning tobreastfeed
• Allergies to latex, rubber, orHUMIRA ingredients

If you took HUMIRA during your pregnancy,make sure to inform your babys pediatrician BEFORE any vaccines areadministered.

For Psoriasis HUMIRA

What Drugs Interact With Cosentyx

Cosentyx may interact with warfarin, cyclosporine, or “live” vaccines. Tell your doctor all medications and supplements you use and all vaccines you recently received. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant before using Cosentyx. It is unknown if this drug passes into breast milk. Consult your doctor before breastfeeding.

Can I Use Stelara And Humira Together

Most likely not.

In general, biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs , such as Stelara and Humira, shouldnt be used together. Doing so increases the risk of serious side effects from these drugs.

Biologic DMARDs are newer, more targeted treatments that help reduce inflammation by suppressing specific parts of your immune system.

Even though biologic DMARDs arent prescribed together, sometimes doctors prescribe a biologic DMARD with a traditional DMARD. Methotrexate is an example of a traditional DMARD. Traditional DMARDs are older, less targeted drugs used to reduce inflammation in your body.

Also, if your condition isnt controlled with your current biologic DMARD, your doctor may switch your treatment to another biologic DMARD. But this depends on many factors, such as:

• your condition
• past treatments or other current medications
• any side effects youve experienced
• your overall health

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What Blood Tests Will I Need Before Or During Humira Treatment

Youll need several tests before starting Humira treatment and while you take the drug, including:

• Tuberculosis . Before you start taking Humira, your doctor will check you for TB.* While you take the medication, theyll monitor you for any symptoms of infection. This is because Humira can weaken your immune system and make you more likely to develop an infection.
• Hepatitis B. Your doctor will also want to see if you have the hepatitis B virus . Humira can cause HBV to become reactivated in people who previously had active HBV. Your doctor may keep testing you for HBV while you take Humira and for several months after you stop your treatment.
• Liver function. While you take Humira, your doctor will likely order blood tests to make sure your liver is working properly. Humira can cause liver damage and sudden liver failure in rare cases.
• Humira level. During your treatment with Humira, your doctor may also order lab tests to check your Humira level. Although more research is needed, one study showed that keeping Humira levels in the blood within a specific range may be ideal for treatment.
• Humira antibodies. In addition, your doctor may order a blood test that checks for antibodies to Humira. People who form antibodies against Humira are less likely to respond well to the drug.

If you have questions about what tests youll need before and during your Humira treatment, check with your doctor.

Humira Is A Biologic Approved For The Treatment Of Moderate

What is Humira?

Humira is a TNF-alpha inhibitor approved by the FDA in October 2005 for use in adult patients to treat active psoriatic arthritis and in January 2008 to treat moderate-to-severe psoriasis. It is also approved to treat rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, hidradenitis suppurativa, and uveitis.

For adult patients with psoriatic arthritis, Humira is administered every other week. For adult patients with psoriasis, Humira is administered at week 0 and then every other week starting one week after initial dose. Humira is administered by injection under the skin.

To learn more, please visit the Humira website.

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What Will Happen If I Stop Taking Humira Will I Have Withdrawal Symptoms

If you stop taking Humira, the symptoms of your condition may come back. But you wont have withdrawal symptoms from the medication itself.

If you need to stop taking Humira, your doctor will closely monitor you for symptoms of your condition. If your symptoms return, your doctor may recommend that you restart treatment with Humira. Or they may suggest another drug to manage your condition.

Can I Take Humira Pen Psoriasis/uveitis Starter Pack If Im Pregnant Or Breastfeeding

It is not known whether this medicine will harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant. Make sure any doctor caring for your newborn baby knows if you used adalimumab while you were pregnant.

It may not be safe to breastfeed a baby while you are using this medicine. Ask your doctor about any risks.

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What To Do In Case Of Overdose

If you think youve taken too much of this drug, call your doctor. You can also call the American Association of Poison Control Centers at 800-222-1222 or use their online tool. But if your symptoms are severe, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room right away.

The following information is provided for clinicians and other healthcare professionals.

Tablets Capsules And Injections

If your psoriasis is severe or other treatments have not worked, you may be prescribed systemic treatments by a specialist. Systemic treatments work throughout the entire body.

These medications can be very effective in treating psoriasis, but they all have potentially serious side effects. All the systemic treatments for psoriasis have benefits and risks. Before starting treatment, talk to your doctor about your treatment options and any risks associated with them.

If you’re planning for a baby, become pregnant or are thinking of breastfeeding, you should also speak to your doctor first before taking any new medicine to check it’s suitable for use during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

There are 2 main types of systemic treatment, called non-biological and biological .

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How Well Humira Works

Clinical studies have shown that Humira is an effective treatment for moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in certain adults.

Current treatment guidelines recommend adalimumab as monotherapy for plaque psoriasis in adults. Adalimumab is the active drug in Humira.

If youre wondering whether Humira may be effective for your plaque psoriasis, talk with your doctor.

Adverse Effects Of Adalimumab

Adalimumab appears to be well tolerated. Mild to moderate injection site reactions appear to be the most common side effect, occurring in 20% of patients. Mild to serious infections are the main risk of treatment and should be promptly treated.

Severe cutaneous reactions have rarely been reported, including worsening psoriasis, vasculitis, anaphylaxis, StevensJohnson syndrome and toxicepidermal necrolysis. Adalimumab can cause drug-induced vitiligo.

Like all medications that work on the immune system, it may increase the risk of certain types of lymphoma . These have rarely been reported in patients on adalimumab, usually in those also taking other medicines that suppress the immune system such as azathioprine or mercaptopurine.

Skin cancers, in particular, squamous cell carcinoma, have also been reported in patients on adalimumab, usually in patients with other risk factors such as sun-damaged skin or previous treatment with photochemotherapy .

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Effectiveness For Plaque Psoriasis

Clinical studies have shown that Humira is effective for treating plaque psoriasis. These studies looked at adults with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis.

In one study, Humira was compared with a placebo . Among people who received 40 mg of Humira every other week, 71% reported that their psoriasis symptoms eased by at least 75%. This is in comparison with the placebo group, in which only 7% of people reported that their symptoms eased by 75% or more.

Is Humira Used For Osteoarthritis Or Lupus

No, Humira isnt used for osteoarthritis or lupus.

Humira treats certain forms of arthritis caused by inflammation. Osteoarthritis, on the other hand, is caused by wear and tear on your joints. Osteoarthritis and inflammatory arthritis are different diseases. So they dont respond to the same drugs.

One study showed that Humira wasnt effective when given to people with osteoarthritis in their hand.

And as mentioned above, Humira isnt used for lupus, either. In fact, in rare situations, Humira can cause lupus-like symptoms. These symptoms include:

• chest discomfort or pain that doesnt go away
• shortness of breath
• joint pain
• rash on your cheeks or arms that worsens in sunlight

If youd like to know more about osteoarthritis or lupus treatment options, talk with your doctor.

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Who Should Not Use Adalimumab

Anyone with an allergy to Humira or to any of its ingredients, including sodium phosphate, sodium citrate, citric acid, mannitol and polysorbate 80, should not use the drug. Also, patients should tell their doctors of any allergies to rubber or latex. The needle cover on the prefilled syringe contains dry natural rubber.

Emily Miller is an award-winning journalist with 7 years of professional experience writing and editing content for reputable media organizations across the U.S. She also has 13 years of personal experience as a patient living with Crohns disease. Her coverage of U.S. prescription drug prices for Drugwatch has been published or cited by news outlets, including The Hill, Fox Business and United Press International. Some of her qualifications include:

• Society of Professional Journalists and The Alliance of Professional Health Advocates member
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Health Literacy certificates
• 2016 Florida Society of News Editors third place winner in Breaking News

Humira For Crohns Disease

Humira is FDA-approved to treat moderate to severe Crohns disease in adults thats active. Active means that you have symptoms. You mustve already tried standard treatments, but they didnt work for you. Humira may be an option for you if youve tried infliximab , but it didnt work for you or you couldnt tolerate the drug.

The goal of Humira is to ease the signs and symptoms of CD and help you reach remission, which is a time when you dont have symptoms.

CD explained

CD is a form of inflammatory bowel disease. CD can affect any part of your digestive tract, but it most commonly occurs in the small intestine and the large intestine . CD often causes symptoms such as diarrhea, stomach cramps, bloody stools, fatigue , weight loss, and frequent bowel movements.

Its believed that an overactive immune system is a factor in causing CD. Humira treats CD by blocking a protein called TNF. This decreases the activity of your immune system, leading to a reduction in the number and severity of CD symptoms.

Effectiveness for Crohns disease in adults

In adults with CD, Humira has been shown to be effective at causing and maintaining both remission and significantly easing CD symptoms.

In clinical studies, people with CD were treated with either Humira or a placebo. Researchers found that 21% to 36% of people who took Humira had a CD remission by week 4. This is compared with 7% to 12% of people who took a placebo.

Humira for Crohns disease in children

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What Should I Know About Humira Vs Remicade

Humira and Remicade both belong to a group of drugs called tumor necrosis factor blockers. Remicade contains the active drug infliximab, while Humira contains the active drug adalimumab.

Youll receive Humira as an injection under your skin. And you can give the drug to yourself after your doctor shows you how to do so. But Remicade is given by healthcare professionals as an injection into your vein.

Both Humira and Remicade are used for the following conditions:

Remicade and Humira are also both used for rheumatoid arthritis. But Remicade must be taken together with methotrexate. Humira, on the other hand, can be taken either alone or together with methotrexate for this condition.

If youd like more information about Humira versus Remicade, talk with your doctor.

Crohns Disease Or Ulcerative Colitis

• In Crohnâs disease or ulcerative colitis, some adults may start to see results within 4 weeks after starting Humira treatment, but most people see an improvement by 8 weeks. In adults with Crohns disease, roughly one-third of patients may achieve remission by 4 weeks after starting treatment.
• In clinical studies in children 6 years and older with Crohns disease, more than half of the patients on Humira saw symptom relief and many achieved remission at 26 weeks
• In ulcerative colitis studies in children 5 years of age and older, the majority of patients were in remission after 8 weeks of treatment. In addition, many children who responded by week 8 were in remission at 1 year, so the results can be long-lasting.

Crohnâs disease is an inflammatory bowel disease which leads to long-term inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, usually affecting the intestines, but other areas may be involved as well. Typical symptoms of Crohnâs disease include stomach pain, an urgency to have a bowel movement, weight loss, diarrhea and tiredness.

Ulcerative colitis inflammation affects only the large intestine and ulcers develop along the lining of your colon and rectum. Symptoms may include diarrhea, often with blood or pus, stomach cramping, rectal pain, weight loss, tiredness, or fever.

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Continue Taking Humira As Directed By Your Doctor

Remember, HUMIRA is a treatment, not a cure. Your doctor can tell you if and when you should stop taking HUMIRA.

If you experience any adverse reactions or discomfort when taking HUMIRA, discuss them with your doctor right away.

Common side effects of HUMIRA include injection site reactions , upper respiratory infections , headaches,rash, and nausea. These are not all of the possible side effects with HUMIRA. Tell your doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.

Is It Safe To Have Surgery While Im Taking Humira

Theres not a lot of research on whether its safe to have surgery while taking Humira.

One potential side effect of Humira is an increased risk of serious infections,* such as tuberculosis . This is because Humira can weaken your immune system. Having surgery also places you at a higher risk for infection. So theres concern that having surgery while taking Humira can raise your risk further.

In a review of clinical studies, people with RA who stopped taking drugs called tumor necrosis factor blockers for at least one dose before surgery had a lower risk of infection.

If you plan on having surgery while taking Humira, talk with your doctor. Theyll help determine the right treatment plan for you.

for serious infections. A boxed warning is the most serious warning from Food and Drug Administration . For more information, see FDA warnings at the beginning of this article.

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Biologics Are Usually Prescribed To Treat Moderate To Severe Psoriasis

Before prescribing any psoriasis treatment, your doctor may identify the severity of your condition in one of three categories, depending on how much of your body is covered in skin lesions:

• Mild: covers less than 3 percent of your body
• Moderate: covers 3 to 10 percent of your body
• Severe: covers greater than 10 percent of your body

Even if psoriasis covers only a small part of your body, it could still be considered severe if it greatly impacts your quality of life.

Humira For Ulcerative Colitis

Humira is FDA-approved to treat moderate to severe ulcerative colitis in adults thats active. Active means that you have symptoms. You mustve already tried drugs called immunosuppressants, but they didnt work for you. Examples of these immunosuppressants include 6-mercaptopurine , azathioprine, and corticosteroids.

Humira wasnt studied in people with UC who had previously used other TNF blocker drugs.

The goal of Humira is to help you reach remission, which is a time when your symptoms ease, become less frequent, or disappear.

UC explained

UC is a form of inflammatory bowel disease, which is a type of disease that affects your digestive tract. With UC, you have inflammation of the lining of your large intestine , rectum, or both.

The inflammation results in tiny sores, called ulcers, throughout the lining of your colon. This causes your bowels to move their contents rapidly and empty frequently. As a result, you may have symptoms such as diarrhea, belly pain, malnutrition , weight loss, and bloody stools.

Its thought that UC results from an overactive immune system. Humira treats UC by blocking a protein called TNF. This decreases the activity of your immune system, leading to a reduction in the number and severity of colon ulcers.

Effectiveness for ulcerative colitis

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Safety And Tolerability Of Adalimumab

Adalimumab was well tolerated in both phase II and III studies. In the phase II trial, the most reported adverse event was pain with injection, especially in the high dose group. Other adverse events were similar to placebo, with headache, nausea, elevated triglycerides, cough, sinus congestion, and fatigue most common. Two cancers were noted, however, review of patient histories determined that both cancers were likely present upon entry into the study . There were an increased number of serious adverse events in the highest dosing group in the phase II trial. However, this increase in SAEs was not observed in either the initial phase III trial, or the long-term phase III trial . In the phase III comparator study, there were no significant differences in the incidences of adverse events reported for adalimumab-treated versus methotrexate-treated and placebo-treated patients, and the most frequent adverse events reported were nasopharyngitis and headache .

The possibility of reactivation of latent tuberculosis is an area of concern with the arrival of anti-TNF- biologic therapies. In clinical trials with adalimumab, there were thirteen reported cases of Tb . While cases of Tb were reported among all doses, the incidence was greatest at doses of adalimumab that were higher than the recommended dose . Appropriate screening for Tb is important, as it can reduce the incidence of reactivation of Tb by 82% .