What Injections Can I Use to Treat My Psoriasis?
Overview
Psoriasis causes itchy, scaly skin patches that can be uncomfortable. Fortunately, treatments can relieve your skin’s appearance, reduce redness, and relieve itching. If you have moderate-to-severe psoriasis that hasn’t cleared with topical treatments, your doctor might recommend an injected drug. Medicines like methotrexate (Trexall) and biologics can clear up plaques and reduce inflammation.
What Is Psoriasis?
When you have psoriasis, your immune system causes skin cells to multiply too quickly. Dead skin cells build up and form itchy, red patches covered with silvery scales on your skin. You’re most likely to see these plaques on certain areas of your body, such as your:
• knees
• elbows
• scalp
• lower back
Psoriasis stems from a problem with cells of the immune system called T cells. Normally, these cells attack bacteria, viruses, and other foreign invaders before they can make you sick. In psoriasis, a faulty immune response triggers the production of more skin cells than are needed and then causes those extra cells to slough off and build up.
Psoriasis Treatment Options
The goal of psoriasis treatment is to stop the rapid growth of skin cells in order to reduce the amount of scales and bring down inflammation.
For mild-to-moderate psoriasis, doctors often recommend a topical medicine first. You rub these on your skin to slow cell growth, remove scales, and relieve itching and inflammation. Examples of topical medicines include:
• emollients, which moisturize the skin
• steroid creams, which bring down swelling and redness
• vitamin D analogs, which slow the production of skin cells and reduce inflammation
• coal tar, which reduces scales, itching, and inflammation
Phototherapy is a treatment that exposes your skin to ultraviolet light to slow cell growth. Sometimes you get a medicine beforehand to make your skin more sensitive to light.
Is PUVA an Effective Treatment for Psoriasis?
For moderate-to-severe psoriasis that covers more than 10 percent of the body, doctors recommend systemic drugs, such as methotrexate (Trexall), or biologics. Many of these drugs are given by injection.
Biologic Drugs
Biologics are man-made versions of proteins created from human cells. These drugs target the specific parts of the immune system that trigger psoriasis cell overproduction and inflammation. Biologics work by blocking cytokines, which are substances the immune system releases that trigger the unchecked cell growth in psoriasis. Biologics are among the most effective psoriasis treatments.
Biologics are injected under the skin or into a muscle, or they’re given through a vein (IV). These drugs can both clear plaques and reduce joint damage in people with a related condition called psoriatic arthritis.
Two types of biologic drugs treat psoriasis:
TNF-Alpha Inhibitors
These medicines block a type of cytokine called TNF-alpha:
• adalimumab (Humira)
• certolizumab pegol (Cimzia)
• etanercept (Enbrel)
• golimumab (Simponi, Simponi Aria)
• infliximab (Remicade) Interleukin
These medicines block various forms of interleukin, which is another type of cytokine.
• secukinumab (Cosentyx)
• ustekinumab (Stelara)
Because biologic drugs target your immune system, they can increase your risk for infection. These drugs might theoretically increase cancer risk too, but this hasn’t been proven.
The side effects from biologic drugs can include:
• respiratory infections
• a headache
• stomach pain
• swelling, itching, or a rash at the injection site
Methotrexate
Originally a cancer drug, methotrexate (Trexall) has been used to treat psoriasis for more than 30 years. At first, doctors thought it worked by targeting rapidly growing cells, as it does in cancer treatment. They now think it helps psoriasis by suppressing the immune reaction.
Methotrexate is recommended for people with severe psoriasis. It can also treat psoriatic arthritis. You get this drug once per week as an injection under the skin, into a muscle, or through a vein (IV). Methotrexate should start to clear plaques within three to six weeks after you start taking it.
Methotrexate can cause side effects, such as:
• fatigue
• nausea
• vomiting
• headache
• trouble sleeping
• lightheadedness
• mouth sores
• bruising
• bleeding
• diarrhea
• chills
Taking folic acid can reduce some of these side effects.
Methotrexate has also been linked to liver damage. Your doctor will do blood tests to check your liver function every few months while you’re on this medicine. Don’t use methotrexate if you’re pregnant or could become pregnant. It can harm your growing baby.
How Much Do Injections Cost?
Biologic drugs are effective at treating psoriasis, but they come at a steep cost. A year of treatment with adalimumab (Humira) can exceed $39,000. Etanercept (Enbrel) is more than $46,000 per year, and ustekinumab (Stelara) costs over $53,000 annually, according to a 2014 study. Methotrexate’s cost is a fraction of that, at approximately $2,000 per year.
Under the Affordable Care Act, insurance companies have to offer coverage for the treatment of chronic conditions like psoriasis. The percentage of drug costs your insurance company will cover depends on your plan. Insurance companies often put expensive drugs like biologics in the top tiers of their formulary, which is a list of covered prescription drugs. Drugs in the higher tiers cost consumers more out of pocket.
As of now, no generic biologic drugs are available. However, biosimilar versions of these drugs are under development. Unlike generic drugs, biosimilars would not be exact replicas of biologic drugs, but they would work in a similar way.
How to Get a Prescription for Psoriasis Injections
See your doctor for a diagnosis and treatment recommendations. If your psoriasis is moderate-to-severe and other treatments haven’t helped, your doctor may prescribe injected drugs. Discuss the benefits of these drugs and their potential side effects with your doctor.
Source is here
Psoriasis causes itchy, scaly skin patches that can be uncomfortable. Fortunately, treatments can relieve your skin’s appearance, reduce redness, and relieve itching. If you have moderate-to-severe psoriasis that hasn’t cleared with topical treatments, your doctor might recommend an injected drug. Medicines like methotrexate (Trexall) and biologics can clear up plaques and reduce inflammation.
What Is Psoriasis?
When you have psoriasis, your immune system causes skin cells to multiply too quickly. Dead skin cells build up and form itchy, red patches covered with silvery scales on your skin. You’re most likely to see these plaques on certain areas of your body, such as your:
• knees
• elbows
• scalp
• lower back
Psoriasis stems from a problem with cells of the immune system called T cells. Normally, these cells attack bacteria, viruses, and other foreign invaders before they can make you sick. In psoriasis, a faulty immune response triggers the production of more skin cells than are needed and then causes those extra cells to slough off and build up.
Psoriasis Treatment Options
The goal of psoriasis treatment is to stop the rapid growth of skin cells in order to reduce the amount of scales and bring down inflammation.
For mild-to-moderate psoriasis, doctors often recommend a topical medicine first. You rub these on your skin to slow cell growth, remove scales, and relieve itching and inflammation. Examples of topical medicines include:
• emollients, which moisturize the skin
• steroid creams, which bring down swelling and redness
• vitamin D analogs, which slow the production of skin cells and reduce inflammation
• coal tar, which reduces scales, itching, and inflammation
Phototherapy is a treatment that exposes your skin to ultraviolet light to slow cell growth. Sometimes you get a medicine beforehand to make your skin more sensitive to light.
Is PUVA an Effective Treatment for Psoriasis?
For moderate-to-severe psoriasis that covers more than 10 percent of the body, doctors recommend systemic drugs, such as methotrexate (Trexall), or biologics. Many of these drugs are given by injection.
Biologic Drugs
Biologics are man-made versions of proteins created from human cells. These drugs target the specific parts of the immune system that trigger psoriasis cell overproduction and inflammation. Biologics work by blocking cytokines, which are substances the immune system releases that trigger the unchecked cell growth in psoriasis. Biologics are among the most effective psoriasis treatments.
Biologics are injected under the skin or into a muscle, or they’re given through a vein (IV). These drugs can both clear plaques and reduce joint damage in people with a related condition called psoriatic arthritis.
Two types of biologic drugs treat psoriasis:
TNF-Alpha Inhibitors
These medicines block a type of cytokine called TNF-alpha:
• adalimumab (Humira)
• certolizumab pegol (Cimzia)
• etanercept (Enbrel)
• golimumab (Simponi, Simponi Aria)
• infliximab (Remicade) Interleukin
These medicines block various forms of interleukin, which is another type of cytokine.
• secukinumab (Cosentyx)
• ustekinumab (Stelara)
Because biologic drugs target your immune system, they can increase your risk for infection. These drugs might theoretically increase cancer risk too, but this hasn’t been proven.
The side effects from biologic drugs can include:
• respiratory infections
• a headache
• stomach pain
• swelling, itching, or a rash at the injection site
Methotrexate
Originally a cancer drug, methotrexate (Trexall) has been used to treat psoriasis for more than 30 years. At first, doctors thought it worked by targeting rapidly growing cells, as it does in cancer treatment. They now think it helps psoriasis by suppressing the immune reaction.
Methotrexate is recommended for people with severe psoriasis. It can also treat psoriatic arthritis. You get this drug once per week as an injection under the skin, into a muscle, or through a vein (IV). Methotrexate should start to clear plaques within three to six weeks after you start taking it.
Methotrexate can cause side effects, such as:
• fatigue
• nausea
• vomiting
• headache
• trouble sleeping
• lightheadedness
• mouth sores
• bruising
• bleeding
• diarrhea
• chills
Taking folic acid can reduce some of these side effects.
Methotrexate has also been linked to liver damage. Your doctor will do blood tests to check your liver function every few months while you’re on this medicine. Don’t use methotrexate if you’re pregnant or could become pregnant. It can harm your growing baby.
How Much Do Injections Cost?
Biologic drugs are effective at treating psoriasis, but they come at a steep cost. A year of treatment with adalimumab (Humira) can exceed $39,000. Etanercept (Enbrel) is more than $46,000 per year, and ustekinumab (Stelara) costs over $53,000 annually, according to a 2014 study. Methotrexate’s cost is a fraction of that, at approximately $2,000 per year.
Under the Affordable Care Act, insurance companies have to offer coverage for the treatment of chronic conditions like psoriasis. The percentage of drug costs your insurance company will cover depends on your plan. Insurance companies often put expensive drugs like biologics in the top tiers of their formulary, which is a list of covered prescription drugs. Drugs in the higher tiers cost consumers more out of pocket.
As of now, no generic biologic drugs are available. However, biosimilar versions of these drugs are under development. Unlike generic drugs, biosimilars would not be exact replicas of biologic drugs, but they would work in a similar way.
How to Get a Prescription for Psoriasis Injections
See your doctor for a diagnosis and treatment recommendations. If your psoriasis is moderate-to-severe and other treatments haven’t helped, your doctor may prescribe injected drugs. Discuss the benefits of these drugs and their potential side effects with your doctor.
Source is here
What Injections Can I Use to Treat My Psoriasis?
Reviewed by Niharika Das
on
03:53
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Reviewed by Niharika Das
on
03:53
Rating:
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