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Rheumatoid Arthritis and Heart Disease
November 19, 2008 |
More than one-million Americans currently suffer from rheumatoid arthritis.
“It’s a little different from the classic osteoarthritis that many of us get when we get older. Rheumatoid arthritis is actually a more active process where there is active inflammation, destruction and remodeling going on of the joints inside
the body,” says cardiologist Dr. Lynne Einbinder.
Recently studies have shown that rheumatoid arthritis can affect more than just
a person’s joints. “More recently studies have found that this inflammation isn’t
linked only to the joints that it can also be involved with blood vessels inside
the body
and blood vessels inside the heart,” says Dr. Einbinder. That kind of damage
to the circulatory system can also increase a person’s risk of developing heart
disease or having a heart attack. “It’s just a type of way for the blood vessels
to become damaged and set it up for other bad factors like cholesterol and plaque
to move in and capitalize on that irritation.”
Dr. Einbinder adds that it’s important for patients who have rheumatoid arthritis
to make sure they’re using the proper anti-inflammatory medications and they may
even want to talk with their physician about periodic heart evaluations. |
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