Those individuals with rheumatoid arthritis treated with methotrexate have been found to have a lower risk of cardiovascular events such as myocardial infarctions (heart attacks) and strokes.Results of a systematic review exploring the comparative effectiveness of treatments of early rheumatoid arthritis can be improved with combination therapy of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) or non-TNF biologics with methotrexate alone.Likewise, a 2016 study found the use of methotrexate, in combination with anti-TNF agents, has been shown to be effective for the treatment of ulcerative colitis.Methotrexate has also been used for multiple sclerosis and is used occasionally in systemic lupus erythematosus, with tentative evidence to support such use. During pregnancy
Methotrexate is an abortifacient and it is used to treat ectopic pregnancies, provided the fallopian tube has not ruptured. Methotrexate with dilation and curettage is used to treat molar pregnancy. Rarely, it is used in combination with mifepristone to abort uterine pregnancies. Administration
Methotrexate can be given by mouth or by injection (intramuscular, intravenous, subcutaneous, or intrathecal). Doses are usually taken weekly, not daily, to limit toxicity. Routine monitoring of the complete blood count, liver function tests, and creatinine are recommended. Measurements of creatinine are recommended at least every two months. Adverse effects
The most common adverse effects include: hepatotoxicity (liver damage), ulcerative stomatitis, leukopenia and thus predisposition to infection, nausea, abdominal pain, fatigue, fever, dizziness, acute pneumonitis, rarely pulmonary fibrosis, and kidney failure.
An ulcer is a discontinuity or break in a bodily membrane that impedes normal function of the affected organ. According to Robbinss pathology, "ulcer is the breach of the continuity of skin, epithelium or mucous membrane caused by sloughing out of inflamed necrotic tissue." Common forms of ulcers recognized in medicine include:
Ulcer (dermatology), a discontinuity of the skin or a break in the skin. Pressure ulcers, also known as bedsores
Genital ulcer, an ulcer located on the genital area
Ulcerative dermatitis, a skin disorder associated with bacterial growth often initiated by self-trauma
Anal fissure, a.k.a. an ulcer or tear near the anus or within the rectum
Diabetic foot ulcer, a major complication of the diabetic foot
Corneal ulcer, an inflammatory or infective condition of the cornea
Mouth ulcer, an open sore inside the mouth. Aphthous ulcer, a specific type of oral ulcer also known as a canker sore
Peptic ulcer, a discontinuity of the gastrointestinal mucosa (stomach ulcer)
Venous ulcer, a wound thought to occur due to improper functioning of valves in the veins
Stress ulcer, an ulcer located  within the stomach and proximal duodenum
Ulcerative sarcoidosis, a cutaneous condition affecting people with sarcoidosis
Ulcerative lichen planus, a rare variant of lichen planus
Ulcerative colitis, a form of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Ulcerative disposition, a disorder or discomfort that causes severe abdominal distress, often associated with chronic gastritis

References


== External links ==