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WEDNESDAY, Sept. 9, 2020<\/p>\n
Starting drug treatment early in rheumatoid arthritis<\/a> patients may reduce their risk of heart disease<\/a>, a new study suggests.<\/p>\n Rheumatoid arthritis<\/a> at least doubles the risk of heart disease<\/a> due to its links with atherosclerosis<\/a> (plaque buildup in the arteries), heart failure<\/a> and stroke<\/a>.<\/p>\n The new U.K. study found a link between early rheumatoid arthritis<\/a> treatment and improvements in vascular stiffness<\/a> (a gradual loss of elasticity that’s an early sign of heart disease<\/a>).<\/p>\n “Our research shows that even at the earliest stages of rheumatoid arthritis<\/a>, there is increased vascular stiffness<\/a> in people with no or minimal traditional CVD [cardiovascular disease<\/a>] risk factors, such as hypertension<\/a>, high cholesterol<\/a> or smoking<\/a>,” study co-leader Sven Plein, a professor of cardiology, said in a University of Leeds news release.<\/p>\n The research highlights the importance of starting rheumatoid arthritis<\/a> treatment early in order to also lessen the risk of developing heart<\/a> disease, Plein said.<\/p>\n The study included 82 rheumatoid arthritis<\/a> patients with no known heart<\/a> problems who underwent MRI<\/a> heart scans. The scans revealed that they had increased vascular stiffness in the aorta<\/a> compared to people without rheumatoid arthritis<\/a>.<\/p>\n The patients also had evidence of heart scarring and changes in the wall of the left ventricle<\/a> (the heart’s main pumping chamber), suggesting their heart problems began before their arthritis<\/a> diagnosis.<\/p>\n After their heart scans, the patients were prescribed rheumatoid arthritis<\/a> drugs<\/a>. A year later, 71 patients had follow-up heart scans. These patients showed improvement in the vascular stiffness of the aorta<\/a>, according to the study.<\/p>\n The results were published online recently in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases<\/i>.<\/p>\n “The rheumatoid arthritis<\/a> [RA<\/a>] treatment improved vascular stiffness, regardless of how the patient responded to the RA<\/a> medication,” Plein said.<\/p>\n “These improvements in vascular stiffness independently of response to RA<\/a> treatment were unexpected,” he added. “They imply that, in addition to suppressing inflammation, RA<\/a> treatments may influence CVD risk through other means.”<\/p>\n However, while the study found an association, it could not prove cause and effect.<\/p>\n — Robert Preidt<\/p>\n![\"MedicalNews\"](\"https:\/\/images.medicinenet.com\/images\/HealthDay\/healthday.png\")
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