Anti-inflammatory
drugs are often the first step in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease.They include: •
Corticosteroids.
Corticosteroids such as prednisone and
budesonide (Entocort EC) can help reduce inflammation in your body, but they don’t work for everyone with Crohn’s disease.
Doctors generally use them only if you don’t respond to other treatments.
Corticosteroids may be used for short-term (three to four months) symptom budesonide (Entocort EC) can help reduce inflammation in your body, but they don’t work for everyone with Crohn’s disease.
Doctors generally use them only if you don’t respond to other treatments.
improvement and to induce remission.
Corticosteroids may also be used in
combination with an immune system
suppressor.
Oral
5-aminosalicylates have been widely used in the past but now are generally
considered of limited benefit.
These drugs also reduce inflammation, but they target your immune system, which
produces the substances that cause
inflammation.
For some people, a combination of these drugs works better than one drug alone.
Immunosuppressant drugs include:
• Infliximab (Remicade), adalimumab
(Humira) and certolizumab pegol (Cimzia). These drugs, called TNF inhibitors or
biologics, work by neutralizing an immune system protein known as tumor necrosis factor (TN F).
• Methotrexate (Trexall).
considered of limited benefit.
These drugs also reduce inflammation, but they target your immune system, which
produces the substances that cause
inflammation.
For some people, a combination of these drugs works better than one drug alone.
Immunosuppressant drugs include:
• Infliximab (Remicade), adalimumab
(Humira) and certolizumab pegol (Cimzia). These drugs, called TNF inhibitors or
biologics, work by neutralizing an immune system protein known as tumor necrosis factor (TN F).
• Methotrexate (Trexall).
This drug is sometimes used for people with Crohn’s disease who don’t respond well to other medications. You
will need to be followed closely for side effects.
Natalizumab (Tysabri) and vedolizumab (Entyvio).
These drugs work by stopping certain
immune cell molecules — integrins — from binding to other cells in your intestinal
lining.
Because natalizumab is associated with a rare but serious risk of progressive
multifocal leukoencephalopathy — a brain disease that usually leads to death or
severe disability — you must be enrolled in a special restricted distribution program to use it.
Vedolizumab recently was approved for
Crohn’s disease.
It works like natalizumab but appears not to carry a risk of brain disease.
•Ustekinumab (Stelara).
This drug is used to treat psoriasis.
Studies have shown that it’s useful in treating Crohn’s disease as well and may be used when other medical treatments fail.
Antibiotics
Antibiotics
can reduce the amount of drainage and sometimes heal fistulas and abscesses in
people with Crohn’s disease. Some researchers also think antibiotics help
reduce harmful intestinal bacteria that may play a role in activating the
intestinal immune system, leading to inflammation. Frequently prescribed
antibiotics include ciprofloxacin (Cipro) and metronidazole (Flagyl).
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