How Do Systemic Antipsoriatics Work?

Antipsoriatics are drugs that are taken orally and used to treat psoriasis. Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune condition characterized by dry, itchy, and silvery scales on the skin. There is no cure for psoriasis; however, treatment can ease symptoms and prevent severe outbreaks. If you have moderate to severe psoriasis, your doctor may suggest a systemic drug (medicine that affects your whole body). They are typically used when more than 5 to 10% of your body is covered and other treatments have not worked. While systemic treatment can help, many can cause serious side effects. 

Treatment can include a combination of:

• Topical treatment
• Systemic medications
• Light therapy (phototherapy or PUVA)
• Biologics (targets specific parts of the immune system)

Antipsoriatics control psoriasis in the following ways:

• Reduce redness of the skin
• Prevent scale formation (slow down the growth of new skin cells)
• Relieve pain, itching, and discomfort
• Shedding of dead skin cells (removes plaques)
• Reduce flare-ups
• Improve the quality of life

Conditions treated with systemic antipsoriatics include:

• Psoriasis
• Psoriatic arthritis (a condition that combines the swollen, sore joints of arthritis with psoriasis)
• Vitiligo (a skin condition in which patches of skin loses their color)

Common side effects include:

• Pruritis (itching)
• Nausea
• Edema (swelling)
• Headache
• Anorexia (loss of appetite)

Other rare side effects include:

• Severe dizziness (feeling faint, weak, or unsteady)
• Cheilitis (a condition that manifests as red, dry, scaling, and itchy lips)
• Skin peeling
• Liver toxicity

Information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible side effects, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. Check with your doctor or pharmacist to make sure these drugs do not cause any harm when you take them along with other medicines. Never stop taking your medication and never change your dose or frequency without consulting your doctor.

Drug names include:                              

• 8MOP
• Abrilada
• Acitretin
• Adalimumab
• Alefacept
• Amevive
• Amjevita
• Avsola
• Brodalumab
• Cyltezo
• Enbrel
• Erelzi
• Etanercept
• Eticovo
• Golimumab
• Guselkumab
• Hadlima
• Hulio
• Humira
• Hyrimoz
• Inflectra
• Infliximab
• Ixifi
• Methoxsalen
• Oxsoralen
• Oxsoralen Ultra
• Remicade
• Renflexis
• Risankizumab
• Siliq
• Simponi
• Simponi Aria
• Skyrizi
• Soriatane
• Stelara
• Tremfya
• Ustekinumab
• Uvadex