TREMFYA – Uses, Side Effects, and Administration Guidelines

TREMFYA® is a prescription medication for adults having moderate to severe plaque psoriasis and active psoriatic arthritis. Plaque psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune disorder that causes red, scaly patches on the skin. It is caused by an overproduction of skin cells, which leads to an accumulation of excess skin cells on the surface of the skin. Psoriatic arthritis, on the other hand, is an inflammatory type of arthritis that causes pain, swelling, and stiffness in the joints, usually in the hands and feet. It is most commonly seen in individuals with a history of psoriasis, yet it can also occur independently.

Tremfya is a biological drug that is made from components of living organisms. Guselkumab is the tremfya’s active component and is a member of a group of medicines called interleukin-23 (IL-23) blocker. 

Tremfya was given FDA approval in 2017 to treat mild to severe plaque psoriasis. Later, in 2020, the FDA authorized Tremfya for the treatment of psoriatic arthritis.

What are the uses of Tremfya?

Tremfya is used to treat multiple conditions such as: 

1. Psoriatic arthritis: This medicine is licensed to treat the symptoms of psoriatic arthritis. Psoriatic arthritis is an inflammatory joint disease that can cause joint pain, swelling, and stiffness, and can affect any joint in the body. It is estimated that up to 30% of people who have plaque psoriasis also have active psoriatic arthritis. Tremfya can be taken alone or in conjunction with other drugs.

2. Plaque psoriasis: Plaque psoriasis can range in severity from mild to severe. Your skin will have itching spots, which may appear pink or darker than the skin tone. They can seem white and scaly in some cases. Psoriasis has several types, and plaque psoriasis is one of them.

 What are the possible side effects of Tremfya? 

Tremfya can cause the following possible side effects:

1. Significant Allergic Reactions: Tremfya can cause allergic reactions in some people including:

• Fainting
• Dizziness
• Low blood pressure
• Difficulty in breathing 
• Chest tightness
• Itching, hives, and skin rash

If you have any of these serious adverse reaction symptoms, stop taking Tremfya and seek out emergency medical care immediately.

2. Weaken Your Immune System: Tremfya can decrease your immune system’s capacity to fight infectious agents, which increases your chance of getting serious illnesses like tuberculosis and pneumonia.
3. Upper Respiratory Infection: Tremfya could make you more susceptible to upper respiratory infections, including nose and throat infections. 14.3% of Tremfya consumers in clinical trials experienced upper respiratory infections. The symptoms of an upper respiratory disease are similar to those of a cold.

Therefore, drink plenty of fluids and get lots of rest if you suffer from a stuffy or runny nose, a cough, or a sore throat. If the signs and symptoms are severe, consult your physician.

4. Reaction at Injection Site: Some patients might experience an injection site response after receiving Tremfya. You may experience bruising, redness, irritation, stiffness, or puffiness at the injection site.

How to Prevent Tremfya’s Side Effects?

The best method to prevent adverse effects is to take Tremfya precisely as your doctor prescribes. There are ways to reduce the probability of negative effects, such as:

1. Follow the prescribed dosage: Take the recommended Tremfya dosage prescribed by a medical expert. Never exceed or decrease the recommended dose. Never take either more or less medication than prescribed by your doctor.
2. Check blood sugar levels: It is important to monitor levels of your blood sugar while taking Tremfya if you have diabetes. Following your doctor’s instructions, monitor your blood sugar levels, and report any changes immediately.
3. Avoid Alcohol: Alcohol does not interact with Tremfya; however, it can cause more inflammation, worsening plaque psoriasis, or psoriatic arthritis.
4. Regular medical checkups: It’s critical to monitor your medical status and have routine medical checkups. Your doctor will monitor the adverse effects and adjust the dosage as necessary.

Precautions of Taking Tremfya’s: 

Before injecting the dose, follow these precautions :

• For 30 minutes, the medication needs to be removed from the refrigerator and held at room temperature (20 to 25 degrees Celsius).
• Check the appearance of the solution. It could contain tiny particles and be transparent or slightly yellow. Use a new dose if it is cloudy, discolored, or includes big particles.
• The One-Press injector and prefilled syringes only contain one dose and should be discarded after usage. 
• Never use an injector or syringe again.

Conclusion: 

If you have psoriatic arthritis or moderate to severe plaque psoriasis, your doctor may recommend you use Tremfya. Tremfya has some side effects and these effects range from minor to severe. These effects can be temporary, and some may be simple to control. 

If the symptoms persist, please speak with a rheumatologist or dermatologist.

FAQs: 

1. How long do you have to take Tremfya?

TREMFYA is administered as a 100mg subcutaneous injection every 8 weeks after two starting doses at weeks 0 and 4.

2. What to avoid when taking Tremfya?

No live vaccines should be administered to you while you are taking Tremfya (such as the MMR vaccine or the chickenpox vaccine). If you become pregnant while taking Tremfya, inform your doctor right away. Using Tremfya during pregnancy is not advised unless the benefits outweigh the risks.