Rheumatoid arthritis linked to increased risk of heart disease
14 June 2001
| People who have rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are 60 per cent more likely to die of heart disease or other health problems and 30-50 per cent more likely to suffer an acute blockage of major blood vessels than people with no arthritis.
That was one of the findings presented at EULAR 2001, the annual congress of the European League Against Rheumatism, held in Prague, Czech Republic, from 13-16 June. | 
About 5000 representatives attended EULAR 2001 in Prague, Czech Republic. |
Dr Douglas Watson, a researcher from Merck Research Laboratories at West Point in the United States, presented the results of a study of 2.4 million people aged 40+. The study examined the rates of death and heart disease in people with rheumatoid arthritis compared with people with osteoarthritis (OA) as well as people with no arthritis.
Dr Watson said: ‘Our results indicate that patients with RA are at increased risk for heart disease compared with those of the same age and gender with OA and also people with no arthritis.
‘Compared with OA patients, RA patients were 70 per cent more likely to die [of heart disease or other health problems] and 30-40 per cent more likely to suffer an acute blockage of the blood vessels [a thromboembolism, where a blood clot travels from elsewhere in the body to block a blood vessel in the heart or lungs or elsewhere in the body].’
The study also found that people with RA were 60 per cent more likely to die of heart disease or other health problems and 30-50 per cent more likely to suffer a thromboembolism compared with people with no arthritis.
According to Dr Watson, the reasons for the increased risks of heart problems for people with RA are not yet fully understood.
There are many factors that could be explored further. For example, people with RA often have a reduced ability to exercise and this may play a role. Medications taken for arthritis may affect the workings of the kidneys and may therefore have an impact on blood pressure and the heart.
Another factor is the nature of RA itself: its effects on the body’s immune system may be a contributor to further health problems, and the inflammatory nature of the condition is a key consideration. Recent studies have suggested that inflammation plays an important role in blood vessel blockage and ‘hardening’ of the arteries (atherosclerosis).
According to Dr Watson, because there are so many possibilities, further work needs to be done to find out more about the causes of heart problems in people with RA.
Last Reviewed: 29 June 2001
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