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Ask Your Doctor About Biologic Drugs: a blog about biologics and psoriasis.
Psoriasis is no joke. It can hurt physically and emotionally. If you have psoriasis, you know what I’m talking about.
If you want to learn more about the disease and how it may affect you, visit the Psoriasis Health Center.
As a person living with psoriasis, I’ve found that it’s important to stay informed of the latest treatments and therapies. And while my doctor is an invaluable source of information when it comes to my health, I also enjoy doing my own research on the Internet. It’s just plain old-fashioned fun!
My doctor recently told me about something called biologic drugs for psoriasis treatment, which are a new type of medicine that can help people who have moderate-to-severe psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis. He said that they work by blocking the action of specific cells in your body that cause inflammation, which is one of the things that leads to symptoms like redness, itching, and plaque build-up on your skin.
If you have moderate to severe psoriasis and other treatments haven’t worked well enough, ask your doctor if a biologic drug may be right for you.
Biologics are different from traditional systemic drugs. They target specific proteins that cause inflammation and skin changes characteristic of psoriasis.
Biologics are given by injection or IV infusion.
Biologic drugs are a relatively new type of treatment. They are made from living cells, instead of being created with chemicals. These drugs are used to treat psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. A biologic drug is given through an IV or shot (injection).
There are many different types of psoriasis treatments. Biologics are one type of treatment that you may want to talk to your doctor about if you have moderate to severe psoriasis, or psoriatic arthritis that has not gotten better with other treatments.
Not everyone with psoriasis will respond well to biologics, but in some cases they can be a good option. If you think biologics might be right for you, talk to your doctor about potential risks and benefits.
It is estimated that about 7.5 million people in the United States suffer from psoriasis, and almost 40% of these people have moderate to severe cases of psoriasis. (1) Many patients with severe psoriasis struggle to control their disease and live a normal life. Some patients also develop psoriatic arthritis, a painful, debilitating form of inflammatory arthritis that affects up to 30% of psoriasis patients. (2)
Fortunately, there are new treatment options called biologic drugs that are proven effective for many people with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. Biologic drugs are created in living cells by using the same technology used to make vaccines.
Biologics are produced in living cells and can be used on all types of skin, so they’re more effective at treating psoriasis than other treatments.
Biologics work by targeting specific parts of the immune system that cause inflammation and by helping your immune system fight the disease. This allows them to treat your condition without harming the rest of your body like some other medicines can.
Biologics are a type of prescription medicine used to treat moderate-to-severe psoriasis. Biologics work by targeting certain parts of the immune system to reduce inflammation and help stop the rapid growth of skin cells that occurs in psoriasis.
The first biologic medicine for the treatment of psoriasis was approved in 2003. Since then, several other biologics have been approved for psoriasis. They are all administered by injection or infusion (intravenous), with the exception of one biologic medicine that is administered topically via a specially designed foam applicator.
Biologics can be an important treatment option for many people with moderate-to-severe psoriasis. Some patients see improvement in their symptoms within a few months of starting therapy, while others may need to try several different treatments before one works well for them.
In the last twenty years, significant progress has been made in the treatment of psoriasis. Numerous topical, phototherapeutic, and systemic therapies now exist to treat this often devastating and disfiguring disease. Yet despite these advances, many patients with psoriasis are still under-treated.
In order to address this problem, a new class of medications known as biologic agents has recently been developed. These drugs work by blocking specific components of the immune systems that play a role in inflammatory skin diseases such as psoriasis.
Biologics are given by injection or infusion (a slow drip into the vein) and can be used alone or in combination with other topical or systemic treatments. They have been shown to be effective in treating even the most severe forms of psoriasis that are resistant to other forms of treatment.
Although these medications are very effective, they must also be used with caution. Because these drugs affect the immune system, there is an increased risk for infections when using them. In addition, some biologics have been associated with a higher risk for certain cancers (such as lymphoma and skin cancer). However, many of these risks can be minimized by following your dermatologist’s recommendations.
New biologics are being developed all the
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