Adalimumab

Adalimumab is a medicine used to treat a variety of conditions such as ankylosing spondylitis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, ulcerative colitis, and Crohn’s disease. It provides relief from swelling, pain, and redness associated with various disorders and improves physical function.

Adalimumab is given by a healthcare professional and should not be self- administered. You should use it regularly and at the same time each day to get the maximum benefit from it. Continue using it as recommended by your doctor and complete the dose even if you feel better.

Some of the common side effects of this medicine include headache, sinus inflammation, rash upper respiratory tract infection, and injection site reactions such as pain, redness, and swelling. Talk to your doctor if any of these side effects do not go away with time or get worse. Your doctor may help with ways to reduce or prevent these symptoms.

To make sure the medicine is safe for you, before taking it, let your doctor know if you have any problems with your heart, kidneys, or liver. You should also tell your doctor about all the other medicines you are taking. It is important for pregnant and breastfeeding women to ask the advice of their doctors before taking this medicine.

• Ankylosing spondylitis
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Psoriasis
• Ulcerative colitis
• Crohn’s disease

Ankylosing spondylitis
Ankylosing spondylitis is a rare type of arthritis that affects the spine or larger joints. It usually starts in your lower back and can spread up to your neck or damage joints in other parts of your body. Adalimumab helps reduce pain, stiffness and swelling in your spine and joints. It helps improve flexibility and prevents disease progression. This will help you lead a better and active life.

Rheumatoid arthritis
Adalimumab reduces pain, stiffness, and swelling in your joints and slows down the progression of bone and joint damage. This will help you do normal daily activities more easily and thus improve your quality of life. The medicine is given as an injection is given by a doctor or nurse and should not be self- administered.

Psoriasis
Psoriasis is a condition where the skin cells in the body grow too quickly and form scales and dry patches. They can grow anywhere, but most appear on the scalp, elbows, knees, and lower back. Adalimumab reduces the scaly, itchy patches which may develop on the different parts of the body. It may take several months to become fully effective. You should avoid drinking alcohol while having this treatment and drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.

Ulcerative colitis
Ulcerative colitis is a disease of the large intestine (colon) and rectum in which the lining of the bowel becomes red and swollen. This can lead to bleeding, frequent diarrhea and abdominal pain. It relieves these symptoms and also helps you to stay well by preventing them from coming back. You should drink plenty of fluids while taking on treatment with this medicine to make sure you stay hydrated.

Crohn’s disease
Crohn’s disease is a chronic (long-term) inflammatory disease of the intestines. The most common symptoms are diarrhea and pain in your abdomen. Adalimumab helps reduce the inflammation, relieve the symptoms, and prevent them from coming back.

Most side effects do not require any medical attention and disappear as your body adjusts to the medicine. Consult your doctor if they persist or if you’re worried about them

Common side effects of Adalirel

• Headache
• Sinus inflammation
• Rash
• Upper respiratory tract infection
• Injection site reaction

Your doctor or nurse will give you this medicine. Kindly do not self administer.

Adalimumab blocks the action of certain chemical messengers that are responsible for inflammation, swelling and redness associated with certain joint diseases.

• It is given by injection under the skin (via subcutaneous).
• Take it as per the dose and duration suggested by the doctor.
• Inform your doctor immediately if you notice severe rash, hives, swelling of hands or face and shortness of breath.
• Store the pen in the refrigerator. When refrigeration is not possible, you can also keep your pen at room temperature (less than 30°C) for up to 2 weeks. Do not freeze it.
• Do not stop taking the medication suddenly without talking to your doctor first.

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Wallace JL, Sharkey KA. Pharmacotherapy of Inflammatory Bowel Disease. In: Brunton LL, Chabner BA, Knollmann BC, editors. Goodman & Gilman’s: The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics. 12th ed. New York, New York: McGraw-Hill Medical; 2011. p. 1359.

Briggs GG, Freeman RK, editors. A Reference Guide to Fetal and Neonatal Risk: Drugs in Pregnancy and Lactation. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer Health; 2015. pp. 22-24.

Adalimumab. North Chicago, Illinois: Abbott Laboratories; 2002 [revised Jan. 2008]. [Accessed 25 Jan. 2019] (online) Available from:

Adalimumab. North Chicago, Illinois: AbbVie Inc.; 2002 [revised May 2014]. [Accessed 02 Apr. 2019] (online) Available from: