Question

what are ways to re-evaluate patient understanding and compliance with the teaching plan with the patient who was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis?

please give a reference

Answer 1

Rheumatoid arthritis is chronic inflammatory diseases that can affect the joints.These can affect other tissues throughout the body. Risk factors for rheumatoid arthritis is smoking. Signs and symptoms include redness.swelling,loss of appetite,loss of stiffness.

Ways and general measures to re-evaluate for rheumatoid arthritis:

Non pharmacological therapies:

Education and counseling:These can help the patient to understand the nature of rheumatoid arthritis.

• Health care providers can formulate a long term treatment plan and evaluate both standard and alternative treatment option.These measures can reduce pain and disability.
• Arthritis foundation in the united states programs can provide measures to reduce pain,depression and disability in people.

Exercise: Inactivity can lead to a loss of joint motion,muscle strength and contraction.

• Pain and stiffness can often prompt people with rheumatoid arthritis to become inactive. Decrease joint stability and weakness can increase fatigue.
• Regular exercises can help to prevent or reverse the rheumatoid arthritis condition.Exercises can be beneficial and range of motion to preserve and restore joint motion and can increase strength and endurance.

Rest: Physical fitness can improve the quality of life and sleep can help to relieve from fatigue.

Occupational therapy: These therapy can relive pain,reduce inflammation and preserve joint structure and function for rheumatoid arthritis patients.

• By application of heat or cold therapy can relieve pain.
• Ultrasound may reduce inflammation of the sheath around tendons.
• Active and passive exercises can improve and maintain the motion of the joints.
• Rest splinting and finger splinting can reduce joint pain and improve function of joint.
• Relaxation techniques can relieve muscle spasm.

Nutrition and dietary therapy:

• Patients with rheumatoid arthritis can lose or unable to eat adequate food.
• Dietary therapy can help to ensure to eat adequate amount of calories and nutrients. Maintain normal weight to reduce stress on joints.
• Include fish oils and plant oils such as seed oil can improve arthritis pain and joint swelling.
• Avoid herbal supplements because that can be dangerous.

Alcohol and smoking:

• These are the major risk factor for developing the arthritis.If you take high amount of alcohol along with methotrexate can damage liver.

Measures to reduce bone loss:

• Use low dose of glucocorticoids therapy.
• Consume adequate of calcium and vitamin D supplements.

MEDICATIONS USED IN RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS:

Non steroid anti inflammatory drugs:These drugs can relieve pain and inflammation.Initial dose does not improve symptoms,physician may recommend increasing the dose gradually or switching another Non steroid anti inflammatory drug.

Side effects:Gastrointestinal bleeding, Fluid retention

Disease modifying anti rheumatic drugs:These drugs can reduce inflammation,reduce and prevent joint damage,preserve joint structure and function.

• Conventional synthetic disease modifying anti rheumatic drugs such as Methotrexate are produced by drug manufacturing techniques.
• Biologic disease modifying anti rheumatic drugs:Example:Etanercept and Infliximab

Steroids: Steroids can improve symptoms such as pain,stiffness and decrease joint swelling.

Side effects:Weight gain,osteopenia,infection,promotion of cataract.