What is acitretin 25 mg used for?
Acitretin is used to treat severe skin disorders, such as psoriasis. It works by allowing normal growth and development of the skin. Acitretin will continue to work after you stop taking it, but after a time, the skin condition returns and you may need to take it again.
What does acitretin do to the body?
Acitretin belongs to a class of drugs called retinoids. Retinoids relate to retinol, or vitamin A. Acitretin works by binding to receptors in the body. These receptors help normalize the speed of skin cell growth, reducing the effects of conditions that include psoriasis.
How long should you take acitretin?
An initial daily dose of 25 or 30 mg acitretin (i.e. 1 capsule of Acitretin 25 mg or 3 capsules of Acitretin 10 mg) for 2 to 4 weeks is recommended. After this initial phase, it may be necessary in some cases to increase the dose up to a maximum of 75 mg acitretin per day (i.e. 3 capsules of Acitretin 25 mg).
How effective is acitretin for psoriasis?
Acitretin is useful for long-term maintenance therapy for plaque psoriasis. In a long-term clinical trial, acitretin was effective for plaque psoriasis with 89% of patients achieving a PASI 50 and 78.4% attaining a PASI 75 after 12 months.
Is acitretin a steroid?
No, acitretin (Soriatane) is not a steroid medication. Instead, it is a retinoid, which is a form of vitamin A. They’re both used to treat various types of skin conditions.
Does acitretin cause liver damage?
Acitretin can also cause clinically apparent liver injury with symptoms and jaundice. Although uncommon, acute liver injury from acitretin is well described and is estimated to occur in 0.1% to 0.5% of treated patients. The onset of injury can be as soon as one week or up to 9 months after starting therapy.
Is acitretin safe to take?
Acitretin may cause bone or muscle problems, including joint pain, muscle pain or stiffness, or difficulty moving. You may get hurt more easily during rough sports. You may also heal more slowly. Acitretin may cause blurred vision or a decrease in night vision (night blindness).
When is the best time to take acitretin?
Take acitretin with your main meal of the day. For women—This medicine may cause birth defects. To make sure that you are not pregnant before beginning treatment, your doctor will ask you to: Use two effective forms of birth control (contraception) together for at least 1 month before beginning treatment.
What are the most common side effects of acitretin?
More common
- Chapped, red, or swollen lips.
- difficulty in wearing contact lenses.
- dry or runny nose.
- dryness of the eyes.
- increased ability to sunburn.
- increased amount of ear wax (unusual)
- irritation in the mouth or swollen gums.
- itchy skin.
Can acitretin make you gain weight?
Although rare, there have been some cases of capillary leak syndrome in some people who have received acitretin (Soriatane). Signs of this syndrome include swelling, weight gain, fever, and very low blood pressure. Muscle and joint pain can also happen.
Does psoriasis affect Covid-19?
Psoriasis and Risk of COVID-19 The study also revealed that there was a 33% increased risk of death because of the infection in people with psoriasis. This study suggests that there could be an increased susceptibility to an infection such as COVID-19.
Should a person with psoriasis get the Covid vaccine?
Yes. If you have psoriasis, you should get the COVID-19 vaccine — unless your healthcare provider tells you otherwise. People with psoriasis may have other conditions (like diabetes or obesity) that increase their risk of a serious COVID-19 infection.