Heart risk for quarter of arthritis sufferers
ONE in four rheumatoid arthritis sufferers is likely to suffer a sudden heart attack, a study has warned.
Arthritis nearly doubles the risk of a heart attack
The risk was found to increase even when people had no symptoms – and was not linked to usual cardiovascular risks, like smoking and diabetes.
Cardiologist Dr Adriana Puente, of Mexico’s National Medical Centre, said: “Our study suggests a quarter of patients with rheumatoid arthritis and no symptoms of heart disease could have a heart attack without prior warning.
“Rheumatoid arthritis affects 1.6 per cent of the population. It nearly doubles the risk of a heart attack. But most patients never knew they had heart disease and were never alerted about their risk.”
The study looked at 91 patients with rheumatoid arthritis and cardiovascular risk factors but no symptoms of heart disease.
They found 55 per cent of patients had high cholesterol, 32 per cent had high blood pressure, 14 per cent were smokers and 10 per cent had Type 2 diabetes. Almost a quarter had coronary heart disease.
Dr Puente told a medical conference in Madrid that patients with rheumatoid arthritis should be tested for cardiovascular disease.