How is enbrel (etanercept) used for treating rheumatoid arthritis?

Second line.: While Enbrel (etanercept) can be used alone, it works better in tandem with methotrexate. It is given by subcutaneous injection once per week, the dose being dependent on body size. It is also indicated for psoriatic arthritis and spondylitis. Most insurers want the patient to have been on lesser drugs. These would include incomplete response to mtx, sfz, and ho-q. It binds to tnf-alpha, which caues inflamm.

TNF-Inhibitor: Enbrel (etanercept) acts as a tumor necrosis factor inhibitor. Tnf mediates the immune response by increasing the transport of white blood cells to sites of inflammation, and initiates and amplifies inflammation. Inhibition of its action by Enbrel (etanercept) reduces the inflammatory response which is especially useful for treating autoimmune diseases. Hope that helps!