Pros & Cons
Hydroxychloroquine Pros and Cons
- 80% of patients with rheumatoid arthritis benefit from hydroxychloroquine treatment.
- Hydroxychloroquine controls symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, minimizes joint damage, and reduces the risk of complications in the future.
- This medication causes fewer side effects in children compared to some other lupus medications.
- Some people who cannot tolerate newer biological agents may tolerate hydroxychloroquine well.
- It can take up to 6 months to get the full benefits of this medicine.
- Hydroxychloroquine alone does not usually control rheumatoid arthritis symptoms, and most people need to take other medicines as well.
- Hydroxychloroquine can cause permanent eye damage. You need to get regular eye exams during treatment with this medicine.
- This medicine may not be right for you if you have certain health conditions like heart disease, QT interval prolongation, eye disease, liver disease, psoriasis, or porphyria.
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