Medical Management of Ulcerative Colitis Discussion Paper

Medical Management of Ulcerative Colitis Discussion Paper

Ulcerative Colitis is an inflammatory bowel disease that causes inflammation, ulcers, and sores in the lining of the rectum and colon. It is a chronic condition that can be unpredictable and can cause long-term complications (Danese, Roda & Peyrin-Biroulet, 2020). Symptoms of ulcerative colitis can vary from person to person, but generally include abdominal pain and cramping, bloody diarrhea, fever, weight loss, urgency to have a bowel movement, and anemia (Sandborn et al.,2019). Treatment for ulcerative colitis typically involves medications to reduce inflammation, lifestyle changes, and in some cases, surgery. Medical Management of Ulcerative Colitis Discussion Paper

ORDER HERE A PLAGIARISM-FREE PAPER 

Medical management of ulcerative colitis is a key component of treatment for this chronic condition. According to Tripathi and Feuerstein (2019), the goal of medical management is to reduce symptoms, prevent relapse and minimize complications. The commonly used medical treatments for ulcerative colitis include oral medications, topical medications, biologic therapies, and surgery. On the one hand, oral medications such as aminosalicylates, corticosteroids, and immunomodulators are used to reduce inflammation and provide symptom relief. On the other hand, topical medications, such as enemas and foams, are used to deliver medication directly to the affected area in the rectum and colon. Kayal and Shah (2019) have pointed out that biologic therapies, such as infliximab, are used to target specific cytokines, proteins, and enzymes to help reduce inflammation while surgery is sometimes necessary to remove severely damaged areas of the intestine. Kucharzik et al. (2020) pointed out that biologic therapies, such as infliximab, are used to target specific cytokines, proteins, and enzymes to help reduce inflammation while surgery is sometimes necessary to remove severely damaged areas of the intestine. Infliximab is a monoclonal antibody that binds to and inhibits tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) which is a cytokine involved in inflammation (Gajendran et al., 2019). By blocking TNF-α, infliximab can help reduce inflammation in the intestine and help manage symptoms of Crohn’s disease. Surgery may also be necessary in cases where the damage to the intestine is severe and cannot be managed with medications. Surgery can help remove severely damaged areas of the intestine which can help reduce symptoms and improve quality of life. In simple words, the treatment plan for ulcerative colitis will be individualized and should be discussed with a healthcare provider. Medical Management of Ulcerative Colitis Discussion Paper

References

Danese, S., Roda, G., & Peyrin-Biroulet, L. (2020). Evolving therapeutic goals in ulcerative colitis: towards disease clearance. Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology, 17(1), 1-2. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41575-019-0211-1

Gajendran, M., Loganathan, P., Jimenez, G., Catinella, A. P., Ng, N., Umapathy, C., … & Hashash, J. G. (2019). A comprehensive review and update on ulcerative colitis. Disease-a-month, 65(12), 100851. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.disamonth.2019.02.004

Kayal, M., & Shah, S. (2019). Ulcerative colitis: current and emerging treatment strategies. Journal of clinical medicine, 9(1), 94. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm9010094

Kucharzik, T., Koletzko, S., Kannengiesser, K., & Dignass, A. (2020). Ulcerative colitis—diagnostic and therapeutic algorithms. Deutsches Ärzteblatt International, 117(33-34), 564. 10.3238/arztebl.2020.0564

Sandborn, W. J., Panés, J., D’Haens, G. R., Sands, B. E., Su, C., Moscariello, M., … & Chan, G. (2019). Safety of tofacitinib for treatment of ulcerative colitis, based on 4.4 years of data from global clinical trials. Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, 17(8), 1541-1550. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cgh.2018.11.035

Tripathi, K., & Feuerstein, J. D. (2019). New developments in ulcerative colitis: latest evidence on management, treatment, and maintenance. Drugs in context, 8. 10.7573/dic.212572 Medical Management of Ulcerative Colitis Discussion Paper