Question

Ms. RR is 32 years of age and has been visiting your pharmacy for 2 years. She is approximately 150 cm in height and weighs approximately 55 kg. Her fingers appear swollen at the knuckles and her hands appear slightly deformed. In the time you have known her, she had complained of stiffness in her fingers and wrists, especially in the mornings, and now her mobility appears to have diminished. She has been taking ibuprofen for that time. In the last year, Ms. RR had been on methotrexate and sulfasalazine. Recent laboratory findings indicate an erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) of 85 mm/hour, the presence of rheumatoid factor (RF) in serum and normochromic, normocytic anemia. She is now presenting with a prescription for etanercept. The drug is to be administered as a 25-mg dose by subcutaneous injection, twice weekly.Ms. RR is 32 years of age and has been visiting your pharmacy for 2 years. She is approximately 150 cm in height and weighs approximately 55 kg. Her fingers appear swollen at the knuckles and her hands appear slightly deformed. In the time you have known her, she had complained of stiffness in her fingers and wrists, especially in the mornings, and now her mobility appears to have diminished. She has been taking ibuprofen for that time. In the last year, Ms. RR had been on methotrexate and sulfasalazine. Recent laboratory findings indicate an erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) of 85 mm/hour, the presence of rheumatoid factor (RF) in serum and normochromic, normocytic anemia. She is now presenting with a prescription for etanercept. The drug is to be administered as a 25-mg dose by subcutaneous injection, twice weekly.

       What are TNF-á inhibitors?

5. When would etanercept be prescribed and is it appropriate for Ms. RR?
6. What type of preparation is etanercept?
7.   How should the response to etanercept be monitored?
8.   What advice should you give Ms. RR?

Answer 1

Answer: TNF-a inhibitors are the drugs which reduces the inflammation. It is used in various kind of disease treatment such as rheumatoid arthritis, crohn's disease. These antibodies are made in the lab by using animal or human tissues.

Etanercept is prescribed for the rheumatoid arthritis. The starting dose of this drug is 50mg twice weekly for three months.

Etanercept is a kind of antibodies which reduces inflammation. Enbrel is the drug and it falls in category of anti TNFs.

The patient should be informed that this drug is Immunosuppresent. Patient should be very careful regarding health conditions. Patient should maintain proper hygiene as due to this drug the patient is more prone to infections and diseases.