Section 3 Penicillamine in the hands of the family doctor

SummaryIn the hands of the general practitioner penicillamine can be an easy to use, easy to supervise form of therapy for long-standing, advanced cases of rheumatoid arthritis which have failed to respond to simple measures, and is one which is not subject to the problems often associated with the use of gold or immunosuppressive agents. It is stressed, however, that great care must be taken in establishing a low, slow-increment dosage programme, and that routine and regular screening of patient's blood and urine must be maintained throughout the entire course of treatment to allow prompt discontinuation of the drug should side-effects, such as thrombocytopenia, leucopenia or albuminuria, develop.