Atherosclerosis (hardening of arterial wall) is a chronic inflammatory response in the walls of arteries leading to their narrowing, occlusion, or occasional rupture. The risk of cardiovascular death is more than twofold in patients with rheumatoid arthritis compared to the general population.
The prevalence, causes, and prevention of cardiovascular risk in some rheumatic diseases are discussed in the following paragraphs.
Standardized mortality ratio (SMR = the ratio of observed deaths to expected deaths) in patients with RA was 1.8 for patients with disease onset in 1970-1979 and 1.3 for those with disease onset
This disease is also associated with higher mortality (SMR 1.7), which increases with the disease duration and severity. 30-50 % of AS patients die of atherosclerotic heart or brain disease. It
Higher disease activity (with high ESR) and the extent of damage seen on X-rays indicate mortality in PsA cases. These patients are at a significantly higher risk of ischemic heart disease,
Gout is a lifestyle disease and a component of metabolic syndrome along with hypertension, atherosclerosis, obesity, stress, and diabetes. Patients with gout have an increased risk of mortality
CV risk is 50 times higher in SLE patients. Myocardial infarction (heart attack) is nine times more frequent than the general population due to accelerated atherosclerosis or thrombotic
CV risk in inflammatory arthritis is not well recognized and is under-treated. Treatment of CV risk includes lifestyle modification, weight management, and control of known risks (smoking,
