Is rheumatoid arthritis a risk factor for cardiovascular disease?

People with RA are almost twice as likely to develop heart disease as those without the condition. Having RA makes you more likely to experience a serious cardiovascular event like a heart attack or stroke. You’re not destined to have heart troubles just because your joints are inflamed.

Is cardiovascular risk reduced in patients with rheumatoid arthritis?

In rheumatoid arthritis, the degree of inflammation correlates with the risk of cardiovascular disease, suggesting that the treatment of the inflammatory disease process could reduce this excess risk.

Is rheumatoid arthritis a vascular disease?

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) represents the one of the most common inflammatory rheumatic diseases, which generates disability and significantly reduces the quality of life. RA can affect the vascular system, in addition to joint involvement. Vascular involvement increases the morbidity and mortality among these patients.

Can rheumatoid arthritis cause cardiomyopathy?

The coexistence of rheumatoid arthritis and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy could be connected with the human lymphocyte antigen DR4, which is common in both conditions. Further studies are necessary to assess whether a true association of the above diseases exists.

Can RA cause coronary artery disease?

Patients with RA have a 1.5–2.0 fold increased risk of developing coronary artery disease (CAD) compared with the general population (1,2), similar in magnitude to the risk imparted by diabetes mellitus (3).

What factors affect cardiovascular disease?

The main risk factors for CVD are outlined below.

  • High blood pressure. High blood pressure (hypertension) is one of the most important risk factors for CVD.
  • Smoking.
  • High cholesterol.
  • Diabetes.
  • Inactivity.
  • Being overweight or obese.
  • Family history of CVD.
  • Ethnic background.

How does rheumatoid arthritis affect the heart and lungs?

Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory condition which can cause inflammation to develop in other parts of your body, such as the: lungs – inflammation of the lungs or lung lining can lead to pleurisy or pulmonary fibrosis, which can cause chest pain, a persistent cough and shortness of breath.

What does rheumatoid arthritis do to Your Heart?

Rheumatoid arthritis-related inflammation can affect the heart muscle, the heart valves, or the blood vessels of the heart (coronary arteries). Heart attacks are more frequent in patients with rheumatoid arthritis than those without it, therefore, monitoring cholesterol and cardiovascular health is important.

Why does rheumatoid arthritis cause death?

Cardiovascular disease, which is often exacerbated by obesity, smoking, and other factors, remains the leading cause of death in people with rheumatoid arthritis. Research suggests that as many as 40 percent of deaths in people with rheumatoid arthritis can be directly attributed to cardiovascular events.

Is arthritis heart disease?

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is often thought of as a disease of the joints, but it’s really much more than that. The chronic inflammation that causes pain and stiffness in the joints can afflict other organs throughout the body, including the heart. In fact, it’s well established that people with RA have an increased risk for heart disease.

What is arthritis of the heart?

The occurrence endocarditis can be another way of how rheumatoid arthritis (RA) affects the heart. Endocarditis itself is commonly thought as infection of endocardium (inner lining of the heart). Typically, it is caused by infection due to germs or bacteria that attach in the damaged areas of the heart.