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Ortikos vs. Humira

Are Ortikos and Humira the Same Thing?

Ortikos (budesonide) and Humira (vedolizumab) are used to treat active Crohn's disease.

Ortikos is used to treat mild to moderate active Crohn's disease involving the ileum and/or the ascending colon, in patients 8 years and older; and for maintenance of clinical remission of mild to moderate Crohn's disease involving the ileum and/or the ascending colon for up to 3 months in adults.

Humira is used to treat moderate to severe active Crohn's disease (CD) and also to treat moderate to severe active ulcerative colitis (UC).

Ortikos and Humira belong to different drug classes. Ortikos is a corticosteroid and Humira is an IgG1 monoclonal antibody.

Side effects of Ortikos and Humira that are similar include headache, respiratory infection, nausea, back pain, and fatigue.

Side effects of Ortikos that are different from Humira include indigestion/heartburn, dizziness, abdominal pain, gas (flatulence), vomiting, and pain.

Side effects of Humira that are different from Ortikos include common cold symptoms (runny or stuffy nose, sinus pain, sneezing, cough), joint pain, fever, infections of the nose and throat, tiredness, bronchitis, flu symptoms, rash, itching, sinus infection, sore throat, and pain in your arms or legs.

Ortikos may interact with CYP3A4 Inhibitors (e.g., ketoconazole, grapefruit juice, itraconazole, ritonavir, indinavir, saquinavir, erythromycin, and cyclosporine).

Humira may interact with natalizumab, TNF blockers, and "live" vaccines.

What Are Possible Side Effects of Ortikos?

Common side effects of Ortikos include:

  • headache,
  • respiratory infection,
  • nausea,
  • back pain,
  • indigestion/heartburn,
  • dizziness,
  • abdominal pain,
  • gas (flatulence),
  • vomiting,
  • fatigue, and
  • pain

What Are Possible Side Effects of Humira?

Common side effects of Humira include:

  • injection site reactions (redness, itching, pain, bruising, swelling, or bleeding),
  • headache,
  • suffy nose,
  • sinus pain, or
  • stomach pain.

Tell your doctor if you have serious side effects of Humira including:

  • fast/irregular/pounding heartbeat,
  • stomach pain,
  • blood in the stools,
  • mental/mood changes,
  • severe headache,
  • easy bruising or bleeding,
  • dark urine,
  • yellowing eyes and skin,
  • leg pain or swelling,
  • numbness or tingling of the arms/hands/legs/feet,
  • unsteadiness,
  • unexplained muscle weakness,
  • difficulty with speaking/chewing/swallowing/facial movements,
  • vision changes,
  • extreme fatigue,
  • joint pain, or
  • butterfly-shaped rash on the nose and cheeks.

What Is Ortikos?

Ortikos (budesonide) is a corticosteroid indicated for treatment of mild to moderate active Crohn's disease involving the ileum and/or the ascending colon, in patients 8 years and older; and maintenance of clinical remission of mild to moderate Crohn' disease involving the ileum and/or the ascending colon for up to 3 months in adults.

What Is Humira?

Humira (adalimumab) is an injectable protein (antibody) used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and plaque psoriasis. Humira is also used to treat Crohn's disease after other drugs have been tried without successful treatment of symptoms.

 

What Drugs Interact With Ortikos?

Ortikos may interact with CYP3A4 Inhibitors (e.g., ketoconazole, grapefruit juice, itraconazole, ritonavir, indinavir, saquinavir, erythromycin, and cyclosporine). Tell your doctor all medications and supplements you use. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant before using Ortikos; it may harm a fetus.

What Drugs Interact With Humira?

Humira may interact with azathioprine or mercaptopurine. Asacol may also interact with pentamidine, tacrolimus, amphotericin B, antibiotics, antiviral medicines, cancer medicine, or aspirin or other NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs).

Humira may also interact with abatacept, anakinra, infliximab, etanercept, certolizumab pegol, golimumab, or rituximab.

 

How Should Ortikos Be Taken?

The recommended adult dosage of Ortikos for mild to moderate active Crohn's disease is 9 mg once daily for up to 8 weeks; repeat 8-week treatment courses recurring episodes of active disease. The recommended dosage of Ortikos for pediatric patients 8 to 17 years who weigh more than 25 kg is 9 mg once daily for up to 8 weeks, followed by 6 mg once daily in the morning for 2 weeks.

How Should Humira Be Taken?

Humira is given by an injection under the skin. Your doctor will tell you how often to take an injection of Humira. This is based on your condition to be treated. Do not inject Humira more often than you were prescribed.

Do not try to inject Humira yourself until you have been shown the right way to give the injections. If your doctor decides that you or a caregiver may be able to give your injections of Humira at home, you should receive training on the right way to prepare and inject Humira.

Do not miss any doses of Humira unless your doctor says it is okay. If you forget to take Humira, inject a dose as soon as you remember. Then, take your next dose at your regular scheduled time. This will put you back on schedule.

In case you are not sure when to inject Humira, call your doctor or pharmacist.

If you take more Humira than you were told to take, call your doctor.