Managing Patients With Psoriasis in the Busy Clinic: Practical Tips for Health Care Practitioners

• Published in: Journal of Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery 2016-05, Vol.20 (3), p.196-206
• Main Authors: Armstrong, April W., Aldredge, Lakshi, Yamauchi, Paul S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acitretin - therapeutic use; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal - therapeutic use; Biological Products - therapeutic use; Cyclosporine - therapeutic use; Disease Progression; Humans; Immunosuppressive Agents - therapeutic use; Insurance, Health, Reimbursement; Keratolytic Agents - therapeutic use; Medication Adherence; Methotrexate - therapeutic use; Psoriasis - drug therapy; Review; Symptom Flare Up; Thalidomide - analogs & derivatives; Thalidomide - therapeutic use
• ISSN: 1203-4754; 1615-7109
• DOI: 10.1177/1203475415623508

Psoriasis is a common inflammatory disease with significant comorbidities, whose management can be challenging given the variety of treatment options. It is critical for nurse practitioners, physician assistants, general practitioners, and dermatology trainees to have useful information about the treatment and monitoring of patients with psoriasis. Although certain aspects of care apply to all patients, each therapeutic agent has its own nuances in terms of assessments, dosing, and monitoring. The most appropriate treatment is based not only on disease severity but also on comorbid conditions and concomitant medications. These practitioners are vital in facilitating patient care by thorough understanding of systemic agents, selection criteria, dosing, and recommended monitoring. This article provides high-yield practical pearls on managing patients with moderate to severe psoriasis. It includes case-based discussions illustrating considerations for special populations, such as pregnant women, children, and patients with comorbidities (eg, human immunodeficiency virus infection, hepatitis C, hepatitis B, and history of malignancy).