Weekly versus daily leflunomide

Among the most common chronic conditions needing chronic drug therapy are chronic rheumatic diseases, diabetes mellitus,hypertension, depression, psychosis, inflammatory bowel diseases, multiple sclerosis, coronary vascular disease, dyslipidemiaand also chronic rheumatic disorders are among. Most researchers and pharmaceutical companies are constantly trying todevelop new drugs with more specific measures based on the pathophysiology of the disease in question. Finding an idealapproach in practice guidelines with minimum adverse drug effects is optimum. Post-drug effects deal with the biological effectsof a medicine lasting longer than expected from its pharmacological half-life. This could be more evident in many drugs,including hydroxychloroquine, methotrexate, leflunomide, dexamethasone, fluoxetine, and other lipid lowering drugs. Thiseffect not only maintains the therapeutic effect of the drugs, but also reduces the side effects. Leflunomide is animmunomodulatory antirheumatic and disease-modifying drug that is used to treat rheumatoid arthritis as well as otherinflammatory arthritis (namely psoriatic arthritis) by inhibiting the synthesis of pyrimidine. Due to the metabolite of leflunomidein the body and the long half-life of this drug, it is possible to prescribe this drug on a weekly basis. Study results have indicatedthat weekly administration of leflunomide has advantages over daily administration, such as the same therapeutic effect, easeof administration, lower cost of treatment, fewer side effects of medication, and more patient compliance. Thus, based on theresults, it can be recommended that leflunomide be administered weekly.

کلیدواژه ها:

chronic rheumatic disorders ، Weekly administration ، leflunomide