General Information on Ridaura
Ridaura is used for managing rheumatoid arthritis in patients who cannot be treated with other medicines. These patients do not respond to or are intolerant of other medicines. Ridaura belongs to the drug class called antirheumatic agents. The generic name of Ridaura is Auranofin, which is a gold compound. It does not relieve pain, but reduces the pain caused by arthritis. It is also known as a disease-modifying antirheumatic drug, or a DMARD. Some of its benefits include reduced morning stiffness as well as reduced swelling or pain in joints, and increased grip strength. How Ridaura works exactly is not known.
Ridaura is only available as Ridaura 3 mg. Its non-medical ingredients include lactose, sodium starchglycollate, titanium dioxide (C177891), magnesium stearate, maize starch, hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose, propylene glycol, microcrystalline cellulose, and iron oxide yellow (C177492).
Side effects of Ridaura
Before you buy Ridaura, you must tell your doctor if you have previously suffered an allergy to any of the ingredients present in Ridaura. Also tell them about your medical history, particularly if you had an adverse reaction to gold compound, such as kidney, stomach, intestinal or lung problems or blood disorders.
Some of the common side effects of this medicine are:
- Abdominal pain
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
- Gas
- Inflammation of the eye, mouth or skin
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Stomach ache
- Loose stools
- Itching
Some of the severe side effects that may require immediate medical attention include the following:
- Rare but serious allergic reactions (appearance of hives, breathing problems and swollen face or throat)
- eye redness/pain
- hair loss
- numbness/tingling of arms/legs
- bleeding disorder
- unusual weakness
- unusual bleeding or bruising
- Shortness of Breath
- Peeling skin
- persistent diarrhea
- purple blotches or other unusual skin spots
You must discuss with your doctor about the safety of this drug if you are pregnant. Do not breast-feed while taking Ridaura without talking to your doctor.
Dosage of Ridaura
Ridaura is taken once or twice a day, or as per the instructions of the doctor. It has to be taken with food. Your medical condition and response to therapy will determine the appropriate dosage. The medicine takes about 3 to 4 months of therapy before the full benefits can be seen. On missing a dose, take it as soon as possible. However, you can continue with your regular schedule if its already time for your next dosage. Do not take this medicine twice consecutively under any circumstances.
When you buy Ridaura, you must check with your doctor before taking any other medicines. You must meet your doctor regularly when Ridaura treatment is ongoing, as it requires careful monitoring. You must have regular tests of blood, liver and urine, and eye examinations. Ridaura also increases the sensitivity of your skin to the sun. Thus, prolonged sun exposure must be avoided when undergoing treatment.
Interactions
A lot of drugs are known to interact with Ridaura. The major drug interactions include:
- Chhloroquine
- Leflunomide
- Clozapine
- Pyrimethamine
- Sulfadoxine
- Hydroxychloroquine
- Mefloquine
- Atovaquone
- Proguanil
- Quinine
- Primaquine
- Quinacrine
