Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Therapy for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has changed, and continues to change, dramatically. Patients currently diagnosed with RA who are treated early and appropriately by rheumatology professionals have an excellent prognosis, with the majority achieving low disease activity or remission. This is possible because of the expansion of disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs), currently numbering more than 20, available to skilled rheumatologists. But even more critical to temporal improvements than specific DMARDs is the adoption of the treat-to-target management strategy. This chapter discusses how best to utilize therapies and treatment strategies to provide optimal care for unique persons with RA.