title: Pharmacotherapy Pearls for the Geriatrician: Focus on Oral Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drugs Including Newer Agents.
abstract: Providing safe and effective pharmacotherapy to the geriatric patients with rheumatological disorders is an ongoing struggle for the rheumatologist and geriatrician alike. Cohesive communication and partnership can improve the care of these patients and subvert adverse outcomes. Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs, including methotrexate, hydroxychloroquine, sulfasalazine, and leflunomide, and the newest oral agent for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, tofacitinib, have distinctive monitoring and adverse effect profiles. This article provides the general practitioner or geriatrician with clinically relevant pearls regarding the use of these interventions in older patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, 10 Center Drive, Room 1C240, Bethesda, MD 20892-1196, USA. Electronic address: ann.biehl@nih.gov.
authors.forename: Ann J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Biehl
authors.affiliation: National Institutes of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 6N-216F, Building 10, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
authors.forename: James D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Katz
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000368:Aged; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000072219:Geriatricians; D006801:Humans; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic
chemical_list: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents
keywords: DMARDs; Geriatrics; Rheumatology; Tofacitinib