Ulcerative colitis treatment
The first medication usually tried with ulcerative colitis is 5-aminosalicylic acid (mesalamine), often in combination with 5-ASA derivative such as sulfasalazine. These drugs reduce inflammation. Anyone taking these medications should consume folate-rich foods, such as liver and leafy greens. Patients who do not respond to this therapy are treated with steroids, usually prednisone or hydrocortisone, which can be given orally, through an enema, or as a suppository. Long-term cortisone therapy can cause weight gain, thinning of the bones, and high blood pressure, so patients have to be carefully monitored. Because steroids promote the retention of fluids, patients taking these medicines should reduce their salt intake; they may also need extra calcium to prevent osteoporosis.
