Treating a rheumatic disease like rheumatoid arthritis can require a lot of trial and error, which makes treatment guidelines like those from the American College of Rheumatology’s (ACR) so important. The guidelines are rooted in the latest scientific research, but Shilpa Venkatachalam, PhD, MPH, Associate Director of Patient-Centered Research at the Global Healthy Living Foundation, reassures patients that their experiences play an important part too.

The American College of Rheumatology’s updated rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treatment guidelines emphasize treating newly diagnosed patients with methotrexate first, and managing using a “treat-to-target” approach to help patients reach treatment goals.