Insights into Changing Psoriasis Treatment Options
Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects adults in the United States. While there are many available treatments for psoriasis, the right medication for each individual may change over time.
Common reasons for switching psoriasis medications, particularly biologics, include reduced effectiveness over time, side effects, high treatment costs, and the development of antibodies that reduce drug efficacy.
When the current medication fails to achieve satisfactory disease control, especially if symptoms worsen or do not improve adequately, it may be time to consider a switch. Similarly, if side effects are significant or harmful, or treatment costs become prohibitive, a change may be necessary.
In some cases, switching between different classes of biologics can lead to faster and more stable improvements in psoriasis. However, it's important to note that this may increase infection risk in some cases.
Decreased effectiveness or loss of response can occur when the immune system develops antibodies against a biologic, a phenomenon sometimes called biologic fatigue.
Patients should consult their dermatologist or healthcare provider to decide if switching is appropriate, considering the benefits and risks, including the potential for increased infection risk with some biologic switches.
In clinical practice, switching is often guided by measurement of disease severity (like the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index - PASI), patient-reported outcomes, and safety monitoring.
For instance, a person may consider switching if they still have an unacceptable number of plaques after 180 days or more. A doctor may recommend switching to a different medication for reasons such as the current medication not working, bothersome side effects, cost, or development of resistance.
New treatments for psoriasis are continually being developed. Bimekizumab (Bimzelx), an IL-17A and IL-17F inhibitor, is a recent addition to the list of approved treatments for moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in adults. Deucravacitinib (Sotyktu), a tyrosine kinase 2 inhibitor, was approved by the FDA in 2022 for the same indication.
When starting a new medication, it's crucial to talk with the doctor to help set expectations and review the side effects. Taking the medication as prescribed, continuing close follow-up with the doctor, letting the doctor know about any new side effects, and noting any new medical concerns are important steps after making a medication change.
While psoriasis might be uncomfortable, painful, or distressing, there are many available treatments that can help. A doctor or specialist such as a dermatologist can help a person find the treatment that best fits their treatment goals. The right medication for psoriasis might change over time, and a doctor can make recommendations to meet a person's needs.
- Personas who are dealing with psoriasis may need to switch their medications over time, as the effectiveness of some treatments can diminish or they may develop side effects, antibodies, or high treatment costs.
- Switching between different classes of biologics for psoriasis can lead to faster and more stable improvements, but it's crucial to be aware of the potential increased infection risk.
- Understandably, if current medication fails to control psoriasis effectively, particularly when symptoms worsen or do not improve adequately, it's time to consider a switch, or if side effects become significant or treatment costs become prohibitive.
- In the case of decreased effectiveness or loss of response, the immune system might develop antibodies against a biologic, a phenomenon known as biologic fatigue.
- Consulting your dermatologist or healthcare provider is essential in deciding whether to switch medications, especially considering the benefits and risks, including the potential increased infection risk with certain biologic switches.
- When making a medication change for psoriasis, it's vital to discuss expectations with the doctor and review side effects, taking the medication as prescribed, and following up closely with the doctor for monitoring.
- The field of dermatology and health-and-wellness continues to advance with innovations like biosimilars and therapies-and-treatments for psoriasis; recent examples are Bimekizumab and Deucravacitinib, approved for moderate to severe plaque psoriasis.
