In a controlled, large-cohort, longitudinal study from Canada, Atiquazzaman et al. found that use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) substantially contributes to increased cardiovascular disease risk among people with osteoarthritis (OA).1 This is the first study to evaluate the mediating role that NSAIDs play in the association between OA and cardiovascular disease (CVD), and the…
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of death in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Patients with RA have a 1.5 times increased risk for heart attack compared with the general population. Although the treatment of RA has advanced significantly, the ability to prevent cardiovascular events hasn’t followed. A study in Arthritis Care & Research…
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Dual energy computed tomography (DECT) can differentiate cardiovascular monosodium urate (MSU) deposits from calcium deposits in patients with gout, potentially identifying those at risk of heart disease, researchers say. Sylvia Strobl, MD, of Medical University Innsbruck and colleagues analyzed calcium scores and MSU deposits in 59 patients with gout (mean age: 59;…
SAN DIEGO—It’s no secret: Autoimmune, inflammatory rheumatic disease raises a patient’s risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). “Inflammation may affect all aspects of the cardiac structure and function,” said Rekha Mankad, MD, FACC, director of the Women’s Heart Clinic at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. Dr. Mankad also oversees a cardio-rheumatology clinic to assess and treat…
(Reuters Health)—Arthritis that accompanies the skin condition psoriasis may also come with a higher risk of heart problems, according to a Hong Kong study. In particular, patients with psoriatic arthritis may have a three- to four-fold higher prevalence of coronary atherosclerosis. Clinicians need to identify patients with high cardiovascular (CV) risk so they can provide…
Rheumatic diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and vasculitis, can affect the body in many ways, but perhaps the most serious is the increased risk of heart disease for many patients. As the risk of atherosclerosis in autoimmune disease patients gains increased attention, rheumatologists and cardiologists are collaborating more often to…
During the ACR Convergence 2021 Review Course, Joan Bathon, MD, discussed cardiovascular manifestations of autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis.
How can we best care for our patients from a joint & cardiovascular perspective? That’s the question Christina Charles-Schoeman, MD, MS, professor of medicine and chief, Division of Rheumatology, University of California Los Angeles Medical Center, Santa Monica, Calif., addressed in a session at ACR Convergence 2024.
Background/Purpose Psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) are closely linked inflammatory conditions that can affect both children and adults. In children, these diseases are associated with traditional cardiovascular disease risk factors and subclinical atherosclerosis. In older adults, systemic inflammation from psoriasis and PsA accelerates atherosclerosis, and these conditions are independent risk factors for severe cardiovascular disease…