RA and Heart Risks

I received and e-mail today from http://www.arthritistoday.org/. It was confirming another study done that found that Rheumatoid Arthritis is linked with heart attacks and strokes. Inflamation is a signature of RA, which is an autoimmune disease. This inflamation contributes to the build-up of plaque in the arteries. That is the bad news for those of us who battle this disease. The good news is that the study found that patients on anti-TNF including Remicade, Enbrel, Humira, Simponi, Cimzia had less thickening in their arteries. Prednisone caused more thickness but could be tempered if patients were also given a statin to lower cholesterol. Check out the full article at the website above. People with autoimmune diseases are at a higher risk for heart attack and strokes but everyone needs to check their cholesterol and their blood pressure on a consistant basis.