MS treatment

You have a choice

When diagnosed with a chronic disease like MS, it’s always important to understand available treatment options—and how they can benefit you. There are several effective methods that you can employ to help you delay disease progression and enhance or maintain your quality of life.

Treating disease: modifying the disease course with disease-modifying drugs (DMDs)

The management of MS has been substantially advanced by the availability of disease-modifying drugs (DMDs). They can reduce disease activity and disease progression for many individuals with relapsing forms of MS, including those with secondary progressive disease who continue to have relapses.

When deciding which medication is right for you, it helps to know the facts about the DMDs available.

Currently, there are two classes of DMDs available to treat MS; Health Canada has approved a total of five drugs in this disease category.

*SAM = selective adhesion molecule.

Not all disease-modifying therapies are the same, and you should have a conversation with your neurologist about which medications offer the most benefits in the above disease measures.

Benefits of DMDs can include:

Reduction in the number of new lesions as shown on MRI
Reduction in the number of relapses
Reduction in progression of disability; and therefore helping to maintain physical and cognitive abilities
Reduction in future disease activity
Improvement in quality of life

How the DMDs compare

		Immunomodulators			Selective Adhesion Molecule Inhibitors
	Rebif® (interferon beta-1a) (1)	Avonex® (interferon beta-1a) (2)	Betaseron® (interferon beta-1b) (3)	Copaxone® (glatiramer acetate) (4)	Tysabri® (natalizumab) (5) Generally recommended for MS patients who have had an inadequate response to, or are unable to tolerate, other MS therapies.
Reduce relapse rate
Reducing all MRI measures studied*
Slowing of disability in relapsing MS

*The exact relationship between MRI findings and the clinical status of patients is unknown.
Rebif® is a registered trademark of EMD Serono Canada Inc.
Avonex® is a registered trademark of Biogen Idec Canada Inc.
Betaseron® is a registered trademark of Bayer Inc.
Copaxone® is a registered trademark of Teva Pharmaceuticals Industries Ltd.
Tysabri® is a registered trademark of Biogen Idec and Elan.

Based on several years of experience with DMDs, researchers and MS experts suggest that these agents are likely to reduce future disease activity and improve quality of life for many individuals with relapsing forms of MS (6). To learn more about early treatment with DMDs, click here. For more information on how DMDs can help you maintain your ability, read our guest editorial.

Click here to learn more about the DMDs used to treat MS.

For people who are recommended for, or have started treatment with one of these medications, remember that therapy is an ongoing commitment. Research has shown that stopping treatment may result in the return of pre-treatment disease activity. (1)

Your neurologist (a doctor who specializes in treating MS and other conditions affecting the nervous system) can help you find the treatment that's best for you so that you can live well with MS.

If you're newly diagnosed (or think you might have MS), have questions about MS, or are considering treatment, talk to your neurologist. MS experts recommend that people start treatment with a disease-modifying medication as soon as possible after they're diagnosed with MS to help increase their chances of delaying disability (6)—and maintaining the physical and cognitive abilities they have—so it’s important to have this conversation as soon as possible.

To help you talk to your neurologist about MS and your treatment options, use one of the following Doctor Discussion Guides. Simply print the page, fill it out and bring it with you on your next visit.

Doctor Discussion Guide: newly diagnosed MS or possible MS

Doctor Discussion Guide: currently or previously treated MS

Working closely with your healthcare team can give you a better understanding of your health and your MS treatment options. A better understanding can lead to better control of your MS. For tips on how to talk to your neurologist, click here.

Treating exacerbations

An MS exacerbation (also called a relapse) is defined as inflammation of the nervous system that damages the myelin—which affects the transmission of nerve impulses. Exacerbations can last for a few days, weeks and even months, having the ability to significantly impact the person’s family, work and social lives. Severe exacerbations are commonly treated with high doses of corticosteroids to reduce inflammation.

Managing symptoms

MS is an unpredictable disease with symptoms that vary from person to person and range in severity. However, symptoms can be controlled successfully through a combination of methods and practices which may include medication, self-care techniques, rehabilitation (cognitive, occupational, and physical therapies) and the use of helpful devices, like canes and scooters.

Rehabilitation

Rehabilitation is essential to improving your quality of life while living with MS. There are several initiatives and programs designed to help you with overall functionality and manageability. Professional therapists from cognitive, physical, occupational and social fields will help you maintain and improve fitness and energy levels, while providing strategies to tackle mobility and accessibility issues, as well as speech, memory and sexual problems, and any other difficulties you may be experiencing.

Rehabilitation programs may include:

Physical therapy
Occupational therapy
Speech and swallowing therapy
Cognitive rehabilitation
Vocational rehabilitation

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)

The role of CAM can make a positive impact on treating MS. There’s a wide scope of strategies to investigate and employ, including: proper exercise, nutrition and diet, stress management methods and lifestyle alterations. Common therapies MS patients may explore and find useful are: naturopathy, Chinese medicine, dietary supplementation, yoga, hypnosis, herbal healing, macrobiotics, amongst others.

Healthcare professionals often advise the combination of complementary and alternative medicine therapies with conventional medical treatments for successful management of MS. Before starting any complementary or alternative medicine approach, please speak to your healthcare team.

At no time should the information presented replace or supersede the recommendations of your own physician. If you have any concerns, please take the information or questions to your physician.

References:
1. Rebif® Product Monograph. EMD Serono Canada Inc. June 2009.
2. Avonex® Product Monograph. Biogen Idec Canada Inc. May 2009.
3. Betaseron® Product Monograph. Bayer Canada Inc. November 2008.
4. Copaxone® Product Monograph. Teva Neuroscience. April 2009.
5. Tysabri® Product Monograph. Biogen Idec Canada Inc. January 2009.
6. National Clinical Advisory Board of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Disease management consensus statement. 2007. Available at: http://www.nationalmssociety.org/about-multiple-sclerosis/treatments/index.aspx.

Additional source:
Treatments. National MS Society. Available at: http://www.nationalmssociety.org/about-multiple-sclerosis/treatments/index.aspx.