Those suffering from rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have a higher risk
of coronary heart disease; however, research has indicated silent,
unrecognized heart attacks and sudden cardiac deaths are also vastly
common in RA patients.
In a study that compared two groups -- one group consisting of RA
patients and the other of participants without the disease -- researchers
found:
-
RA patients were three times more likely to have been hospitalized
for an acute heart attack and five times more likely to have
an unrecognized heart attack during the two years prior to diagnosis
-
Compared to participants without the disease, RA patients
were less likely to have a history of chest pain
-
After being diagnosed, RA patients were twice as likely to
have unrecognized heart attacks and sudden cardiac deaths
One possible explanation why RA patients experience unrecognized
heart attacks is because there is so much pain in their joints and
they are taking so many painkillers that they either don't
feel the chest pains in the same way non-RA patients do, or they
simply do not appreciate its importance.
So What do These Discoveries Mean for
RA Patients?
According to the head researcher of the study, the findings offer
key messages to patients suffering from RA:
-
Heart attack risk is already present at the time of diagnosis
-
Regular cardiac appointments and lowering traditional cardiac
risk factors (i.e. minding blood pressure and cholesterol and
not smoking) are essential, as heart disease can remain silent
in RA patients
-
Heart disease can manifest in RA patients and surface, for
the first time, as a cardiac sudden death
Additionally, researchers found that while traditional cardiovascular
risk factors such as elevated cholesterol, blood pressure and body
mass index (BMI) are important they are less imperative for those
with RA.
Arthritis
& Rheumatism February 3, 2005; 52(2): 402-411
Medical
News Today February 3, 2005
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