Ixekizumab
About Ixekizumab
Ixekizumab is used to treat plaque psoriasis, plaque arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis. These are chronic autoimmune disorders involving inflammation, where the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissues, leading to symptoms like skin lesions, joint pain, and stiffness.
Ixekizumab contains Ixekizumab. It works by blocking the action of a certain natural substance in the body that causes the symptoms of psoriasis. Inhibiting this cytokine helps reduce the inflammation and rapid skin cell regeneration associated with the condition, leading to symptom improvement.
The dose and duration of treatment with Ixekizumab may vary depending on your medical condition. The common side effects of Ixekizumab include diarrhoea (with or without blood), nausea, abdominal pain, red, itchy, or watery eyes, stuffy or runny nose, redness or pain at the injection site, and weight loss. Most of these side effects resolve gradually on their own over time. However, consult the doctor if any of these symptoms persist or worsen.
Before treatment with $ name, inform your doctor if you are pregnant, planning pregnancy, or breastfeeding. Ixekizumab is safe for children if prescribed by the doctor, but it is not recommended for children under 6 years of age as its safety and effectiveness have not been fully established. It is unknown whether alcohol consumption causes interactions with Ixekizumab; therefore, inform the doctor to prevent unpleasant side effects. Also, tell your doctor about all the medicines you are taking and your pre-existing health conditions to rule out potential side effects.
Uses of Ixekizumab
• Plaque Psoriasis: Ixekizumab treats moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis, reducing red, scaly patches and improving skin clearance.
• Psoriatic Arthritis: For adults with active psoriatic arthritis, Ixekizumab helps to reduce joint inflammation, pain, swelling, and slows disease progression.
• Ankylosing Spondylitis: Ixekizumab manages active ankylosing spondylitis by decreasing spinal inflammation, pain, and stiffness.
• Non-Radiographic Axial Spondyloarthritis: Ixekizumab also alleviates symptoms like back pain, stiffness, and inflammation in patients with Non-Radiographic Axial Spondyloarthritis.
Medicinal Benefits
Ixekizumab contains Ixekizumab, which belongs to a group of medications called Monoclonal antibodies. It is used to treat auto-immune disorders such as psoriasis plaque, plaque arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis. It works by blocking the action of a particular natural substance in the body that causes the symptoms of psoriasis. By inhibiting this cytokine, it helps reduce the inflammation and rapid skin cell regeneration associated with the condition. This results in the reduction of symptoms and an overall improvement in the condition.
Directions for Use
Storage
Side Effects of Ixekizumab
- Diarrhoea (with or without blood)
- Nausea
- Abdominal pain
- Red, itchy, or watery eyes
- Stuffy or runny nose
- Weight loss
- Redness or pain at the injection site
Drug Warnings
Inform your doctor before starting treatment with Ixekizumab about any necessary vaccinations and ensure you are up to date with age-appropriate vaccines. Do not get any vaccinations during treatment with Ixekizumab without your doctor's advice. Inform your doctor if you frequently get infections or have any infections, including minor or chronic ones, as it may lower the ability to fight infections, increasing the risk of serious infections. Inform your doctor immediately, if you experience symptoms like fever, chills, muscle aches, or signs of infection and tell your doctor if you have a history of tuberculosis (TB) or have been in contact with someone who has TB as it may increase the risk of TB. Your doctor may perform a TB test and treat any inactive TB before starting treatment with Ixekizumab. Let your doctor know if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Also, inform your doctor about any pre-existing medical conditions and all medications you are taking to rule out the potential side effects.
Drug Interactions
Drug-Drug Interaction: Ixekizumab may interact with live vaccines, anticoagulants (warfarin) and immunosuppressants (cyclosporine).
Drug-Food Interaction: No interactions were found.
Drug-Disease Interaction: Inform your doctor if you have inflammatory bowel syndrome (IBS), tuberculosis, renal or hepatic impairment, and other infections.
Drug-Drug Interactions Checker List:
Safety Advice
Alcohol
consult your doctorThe interaction of alcohol with Ixekizumab is unknown. If you have any concerns, please discuss them with your doctor.
Pregnancy
cautionPlease inform your doctor if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant; your doctor will administer Ixekizumab only if the benefits outweigh the risks.
Breast Feeding
consult your doctorIt is unknown whether Ixekizumab passes into breast milk or not. Therefore, please inform your doctor if you are breastfeeding. Your doctor decides based on the benefits and risks of Ixekizumab to the mother and baby.
Driving
safe if prescribedIxekizumab usually does not affect your ability to drive or operate machines.
Liver
consult your doctorPlease inform your doctor if you have liver impairment/liver disease before receiving Ixekizumab.
Kidney
consult your doctorPlease inform your doctor if you have kidney impairment/kidney disease before receiving Ixekizumab.
Children
safe if prescribedIxekizumab is safe for children if prescribed by a doctor and is not recommended for children under 6 years of age. The dose and duration may vary depending on the child’s weight and the severity of the child's medical condition.
Habit Forming
Diet & Lifestyle Advise
- Eat an anti-inflammatory diet, including omega-3 fatty acids from fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, and sardines), walnuts, and flaxseeds.
- Include a variety of colourful fruits and vegetables rich in antioxidants and vitamins A, C, and E for overall skin health.
- Opt for whole grains rich in fibre like brown rice, quinoa, and oats.
- Get moderate sun exposure with proper protection, but avoid sunburns that may worsen symptoms.
- Drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated.
- Avoid scratching affected areas, as it can damage the skin and trigger more plaques.
Patients Concern
Disease/Condition Glossary
Plaque psoriasis: Plaque psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune skin condition. It is the most common form of psoriasis, in which skin cells multiply faster than usual, resulting in white scales and itchy, red, dry patches.
Plaque arthritis: Plaque arthritis is an inflammatory form of arthritis associated with psoriasis. It is characterized by joint pain, swelling, and stiffness.
Ankylosing spondylitis: Ankylosing spondylitis is a chronic inflammatory arthritis that mainly targets the spine, leading to symptoms such as pain, stiffness, and limited mobility. Prolonged inflammation can cause the vertebrae to fuse, ultimately resulting in a stiff and inflexible spine.
Non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA): Non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA) is a type of inflammatory arthritis that affects the spine and sacroiliac joints, causing chronic pain and stiffness. It is characterized by inflammation and symptoms similar to ankylosing spondylitis but without visible damage on X-rays.
FAQs
Ixekizumab belongs to the group of medications called monoclonal antibodies used to treat chronic autoimmune disorders such as plaque psoriasis, plaque arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis.
Ixekizumab contains Ixekizumab. It works by blocking the action of a certain natural substance in the body that causes the symptoms of psoriasis. Inhibiting this cytokine helps reduce the inflammation and rapid skin cell regeneration associated with the condition, leading to symptom improvement.
Call your doctor if you experience symptoms such as itching, rash, hives, feeling faint, swelling of the face, tongue, eyelids, or throat, difficulty swallowing or breathing, tightness in the chest or throat, dry skin, scaling, redness, crusting of the skin, oozing or crusty blisters and any unusual problems while using this medication.
Ixekizumab may cause common side effects, such as diarrhoea (with or without blood), nausea, abdominal pain, red, itchy, or watery eyes, stuffy or runny nose, redness or pain at the injection site, and weight loss. Please consult your doctor if any of these side effects persist or worsen.
Do not discontinue treatment with Ixekizumab without consulting your doctor. To treat your medical condition effectively, continue using Ixekizumab or visit your doctor for administration as long as it has been prescribed for you.
