Ulcerative Colitis
Ulcerative colitis is inflammatory bowel disease limited to the colon and beginning at the rectum. It usually causes relapsing bloody diarrhoea and urgency, but infection and other bowel disease must be excluded.
Azulfidine
500mg
Sulfasalazine 500mg tablets, used in the management of rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. A sulfonamide DMARD.
Key points
- Stool frequency, bleeding, fever, pulse, hydration and laboratory inflammation help distinguish a mild flare from severe colitis.
- Stool tests and endoscopy support diagnosis and rule out infection before immune-suppressing treatment is escalated.
- Induction and maintenance treatment have different goals; abruptly stopping maintenance medicine can raise relapse risk.
Catalogue matches do not confirm a flare or indicate a safe anti-inflammatory or immune-modifying regimen.
What determines flare severity?
Frequency and blood matter, but systemic illness, anaemia, abdominal tenderness and imaging findings can be more urgent. Food may alter symptoms without causing the underlying immune disease. Regular monitoring also addresses nutrition and long-term colon risk.
How is inflammation controlled?
Mesalazine and sulfasalazine have roles in selected mild-to-moderate disease and require kidney, blood or adverse-effect review. Steroids are generally for induction rather than indefinite maintenance; more active disease may need specialist digestive health therapy.
When to seek urgent care
Seek urgent care for frequent bloody stool with fever or rapid pulse, severe abdominal pain or swelling, persistent vomiting, fainting, confusion or signs of severe dehydration.