Rheumatoid arthritis and heart disease

 Rheumatoid arthritis and heart disease

People with rheumatoid arthritis are at increased risk for developing heart disease. In particular, they have a greater likelihood of developing hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis), which can lead to heart attacks. The connection between heart disease and rheumatoid arthritis is not well understood, but it may relate to inflammation. 

People with rheumatoid arthritis have inflammation in joints and elsewhere in the body. Inflammation is known to promote atherosclerosis.

Because of this connection, people with rheumatoid arthritis must be carefully evaluated to identify other risk factors for heart disease. These should be addressed to help lower the chances for developing heart disease. Risk factors for heart disease include:
• high blood pressure (more than 140/90 mm Hg)
• total cholesterol greater than 200 mg/dL
• low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol greater than 160 mg/dL
• high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol less than 40 mg/dL
• diabetes
• smoking
• family history of heart disease.

Exercise and a healthy diet can help to address these risk factors. If healthy lifestyle changes don’t do the trick, medications to lower blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar should be considered. Some medications used to treat rheumatoid arthritis have been shown to actually lower the risk for dying from heart disease. These include methotrexate and anti-TNF agents. Others, such as NSAIDs, may increase risk. Water Cure: Drugs Kill. You might like to review the water cure protocol in this blog site.