Weekly versus daily leflunomide

Abstract

Chronic rheumatic diseases, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, depression, psychosis, inflammatory bowel diseases, multiple sclerosis, coronary vascular disease, dyslipidemia and also chronic rheumatic disorders are among the most common chronic conditions need chronic drug therapy. Most researchers and pharmaceutical companies are constantly trying to develop new drugs with more specific measures based on the pathophysiology of the disease. Finding ideal approach in practice guidelines with minimum adverse drug effects is a utopian. Post-drug effects deal with the biological effects of a medicine long lasted more than expected from pharmacological half-life. This could be more evident for many drugs including Hydroxychloroquine, methotrexate, leflunomide, dexamethasone, fluoxetine and lipid lowering. This effect not only maintains the therapeutic effect of the drugs, but also reduces the side effects. Leflunomide is an immunomodulatory drug of antirheumatic and diseases modifying class that is used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and some other inflammatory arthritis (namely psoriatic arthritis) by inhibiting the synthesis of pyrimidine. Due to the metabolite of leflunomide in the body and the long half-life of this drug, it is possible to prescribe this drug on a weekly basis. The results of studies on weekly administration versus daily administration of leflunomide indicate that weekly administration of leflunomide has advantages such as the same therapeutic effect as daily administration, ease of administration, lower cost of treatment, less side effects of medication, and more patient compliance. According to the results obtained from weekly administration of leflunomide, it can be recommended that leflunomide be administered weekly.