The Rheumatologist
COVID-19 News
  • Connect with us:
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Feed
  • Home
  • Conditions
    • Rheumatoid Arthritis
    • SLE (Lupus)
    • Crystal Arthritis
      • Gout Resource Center
    • Spondyloarthritis
    • Osteoarthritis
    • Soft Tissue Pain
    • Scleroderma
    • Vasculitis
    • Systemic Inflammatory Syndromes
    • Guidelines
  • Resource Centers
    • Axial Spondyloarthritis Resource Center
    • Gout Resource Center
    • Psoriatic Arthritis Resource Center
    • Rheumatoid Arthritis Resource Center
    • Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Resource Center
  • Drug Updates
    • Biologics & Biosimilars
    • DMARDs & Immunosuppressives
    • Topical Drugs
    • Analgesics
    • Safety
    • Pharma Co. News
  • Professional Topics
    • Ethics
    • Legal
    • Legislation & Advocacy
    • Career Development
      • Certification
      • Education & Training
    • Awards
    • Profiles
    • President’s Perspective
    • Rheuminations
    • Interprofessional Perspective
  • Practice Management
    • Billing/Coding
    • Quality Assurance/Improvement
    • Workforce
    • Facility
    • Patient Perspective
    • Electronic Health Records
    • Apps
    • Information Technology
    • From the College
    • Multimedia
      • Audio
      • Video
  • Resources
    • Issue Archives
    • ACR Convergence
      • Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Resource Center
      • Rheumatoid Arthritis Resource Center
      • Gout Resource Center
      • Abstracts
      • Meeting Reports
      • ACR Convergence Home
    • American College of Rheumatology
    • ACR ExamRheum
    • Research Reviews
    • ACR Journals
      • Arthritis & Rheumatology
      • Arthritis Care & Research
      • ACR Open Rheumatology
    • Rheumatology Image Library
    • Treatment Guidelines
    • Rheumatology Research Foundation
    • Events
  • About Us
    • Mission/Vision
    • Meet the Authors
    • Meet the Editors
    • Contribute to The Rheumatologist
    • Subscription
    • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Search
You are here: Home / Articles / Cardiovascular Disease Risk High in RA Patients

Cardiovascular Disease Risk High in RA Patients

June 1, 2010 • By Kathy Holliman

  • Tweet
  • Email
Print-Friendly Version / Save PDF

PHILADELPHIA—Risk of cardiovascular disease is about 50% higher for people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) than the general population, and is also increased as for those with other autoimmune diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus.

You Might Also Like
  • Depression May Increase Risk of Cardiovascular Disease for RA Patients
  • Foundation Research Explores Relationship Between RA and Cardiovascular Disease
  • Cardiovascular Disease Mortality Risk Remains Higher for Patients with RA
Explore This Issue
June 2010
Also By This Author
  • Best Lupus Treatment Still Up for Debate

Naveed Sattar, MD, professor of metabolic medicine at the University of Glasgow, Scotland, said that the risk for vascular disease in patients with rheumatic disease accrues early. In his presentation at the ACR Clinical Research Conference here at the 2009 ACR/ARHP Annual Scientific Meeting, Dr. Sattar said there are compelling reasons to screen for cardiovascular risk in patients older than age 40 who have rheumatic disease.

ad goes here:advert-1
ADVERTISEMENT
SCROLL TO CONTINUE

“These patients are more likely to die before they get to the hospital if they have a myocardial infarction,” he said. “They are less likely to be symptomatic and are more likely to have ischemic heart disease, receive less treatment for hypertension, and develop more congestive heart failure.” If these patients survive the myocardial infarction and make it to the hospital, they have a 30-day mortality rate of about 50% to 90%, he said.

In an overview of how inflammation leads to cardiovascular disease, Muredach Reilly, MBBCh, assistant professor of medicine and pharmacology in the cardiovascular medicine division at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, said that changes in signaling via mechanical transduction and hypercholesterolemia induce endothelial cell dysfunction that then promotes inflammation and fatty streak formation.

ad goes here:advert-2
ADVERTISEMENT
SCROLL TO CONTINUE

When there is progression from fatty streaks to late lesions, cells in the lesions produce chemokines, cytokines, and growth factors, eventually resulting in vulnerable plaques that are prone to rupture and thrombotic events.

Assess Cardiovascular Risk

Dr. Sattar said that cardiovascular risk should be regularly assessed in patients with RA and that treatment should be given for existing risk factors, such as increased cholesterol or hypertension. Several factors are believed to be responsible for the increased risk of cardiovascular disease among patients with rheumatoid disease.

Most importantly, systemic inflammation, which can be high in RA, is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease that interacts with the more traditional risk factors. Patients with RA and ischemic heart disease share several risk factors, including smoking, obesity, and low physical activity, he said.

ad goes here:advert-3
ADVERTISEMENT
SCROLL TO CONTINUE

Vascular disease also tends to be undertreated in patients with RA because patient inactivity may lead to few symptoms. Several current drug therapies, such as glucocorticoids and nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs/coxibs, may contribute to increased risk.

High-grade inflammation affects multiple tissues and leads to endothelial dysfunction, dyslipidemia, more oxidative stress, increased levels of homocysteine, and insulin resistance. These effects accelerate atherogenesis and myocardial microvascular abnormalities, Dr. Sattar said.1

Pages: 1 2 3 4 | Single Page

Filed Under: Conditions, Guidelines, Rheumatoid Arthritis Tagged With: Cardiovascular disease, inflammation, Rheumatoid arthritisIssue: June 2010

You Might Also Like:
  • Depression May Increase Risk of Cardiovascular Disease for RA Patients
  • Foundation Research Explores Relationship Between RA and Cardiovascular Disease
  • Cardiovascular Disease Mortality Risk Remains Higher for Patients with RA
  • Newly Diagnosed SLE Patients Have a Greater Risk of Cardiovascular Disease

ACR Convergence

Don’t miss rheumatology’s premier scientific meeting for anyone involved in research or the delivery of rheumatologic care or services.

Visit the ACR Convergence site »

Meeting Abstracts

Browse and search abstracts from the ACR Convergence and ACR/ARP Annual Meetings going back to 2012.

Visit the Abstracts site »

American College of Rheumatology

Visit the official website for the American College of Rheumatology.

Visit the ACR »

The Rheumatologist newsmagazine reports on issues and trends in the management and treatment of rheumatic diseases. The Rheumatologist reaches 11,500 rheumatologists, internists, orthopedic surgeons, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses, and other healthcare professionals who practice, research, or teach in the field of rheumatology.

About Us / Contact Us / Advertise / Privacy Policy / Terms of Use

  • Connect with us:
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Feed

Copyright © 2006–2022 American College of Rheumatology. All rights reserved.

ISSN 1931-3268 (print)
ISSN 1931-3209 (online)