Mayo Clinic Finds that Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients Have Higher Risk for Heart Disease And Cardiac Sudden Death
Ronald Grisanti D.C., D.A.B.C.O., M.S.
Mayo Clinic has completed a study showing that people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) were found to have higher risk of coronary heart disease, unrecognized heart attacks and sudden cardiac deaths.
Mayo found that patients with RA 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.
Mayo found that patients with RA were five times more likely to have an unrecognized heart attack
Hilal Maradit Kremers, M.D., lead study investigator and research associate in the Mayo Clinic Department of Health Sciences Research, says the study suggests three major messages for rheumatoid arthritis patients:
The risk of heart attack is already there at the time a rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis is first made.
Heart disease can remain silent in those with rheumatoid arthritis. Regular cardiac checkups are important, as is lowering traditional cardiac risk factors, such as taking care of blood pressure and cholesterol and quitting smoking.
Heart disease in rheumatoid arthritis patients can manifest for the first time as a cardiac sudden death.
Of deep concern, the researchers found that the RA patients did not have the traditional heart disease risk factors such as elevated cholesterol, blood pressure and body mass index, diabetes, and alcohol abuse.
"What we are finding is that though traditional cardiovascular risk factors are important, they are less important for those with rheumatoid arthritis," says Dr. Maradit Kremers.
"Something else is going on.
"What we do know is that the cause cannot be explained by just one factor."
It is multifactorial."
According to Sherine Gabriel, M.D., the study's senior author and Mayo Clinic rheumatologist, the systemic inflammation that characterizes rheumatoid arthritis also promotes cardiovascular disease and cardiovascular death.
Dr. Grisanti's Comments
I find it of interest that the blood test, C-Reactive Protein, is commonly elevated in RA. As many of you have been reading, C-Reactive Protein is now linked to increased risk of heart disease.
Advisory Board
Mayo found that patients with RA were five times more likely to have an unrecognized heart attack 
