Rheumatoid Arthritis Cardiovascular Risk Remains High In DMARD Era

The increased risk of cardiovascular disease and myocardial infarction associated with rheumatoid arthritis does not appear to have been changed by the introduction of DMARDs, according to a Swedish study.

Dr Ulf Bergstrom and colleagues, University Hospital Malmo, compared cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in 1995-2002, and in an earlier patient cohort (1978-85).

They found that the increased incidence of cardiovascular events and cardiovascular deaths in patients with RA remained unchanged over time, despite intensive treatment with newer anti-rheumatic drugs and reduced disease severity, and they call for further action to prevent cardiovascular co-morbidity (Abstract #335).


American College of Rheumatology Annual Congress (ACR)


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