Harvard Health Publications     Released: Tue 29-Jul-2008, 16:40 ET

Joint Inflammation and Heart Disease Linked

JOINT INFLAMMATION, LUPUS, GOUT, RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS, HEART DISEASE,
CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE, HEART ATTACK, CARDIAC ARREST

Newswise — People coping with rheumatoid arthritis or lupus already
have a lot to deal with. Even so, paying attention to heart health may
be especially important for this group. The August 2008 issue of the
Harvard Heart Letter reports that rheumatoid arthritis doubles a
person’s risk of heart attack or cardiac arrest. Heart disease risk is
even higher with lupus, and a new study suggests that gout, another
common kind of arthritis, is also linked to cardiovascular disease.

Rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and related autoimmune disorders are
caused by a misguided immune system. Certain white blood cells, which
ordinarily protect the body from infection, attack its tissues
instead. Although no one knows exactly how these conditions are
connected to cardiovascular disease, it is possible they all spring
from the same source—inflammation.

Inflammation is an essential part of the body’s defenses. In people
with rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, though, inflammation turns
against the body and damages joints and other tissues. In heart
disease, inflammation kicks off artery-clogging atherosclerosis, keeps
it smoldering, and influences the formation of clots, the ultimate
cause of heart attacks and many strokes.

Controlling rheumatoid arthritis or lupus with medications that calm
inflammation may be a good start toward reducing the excess risk of
heart disease. Some studies show that using medications like Remicade
and Humira reduces the likelihood of having heart attacks. Statins and
baby aspirin may also help.

For now, the Harvard Heart Letter suggests that the best way to
control heart risk is by paying attention to diet, weight, exercise,
blood pressure, and cholesterol.

Also in this issue:
• Hypertension and diabetes
• Heart failure: Hope vs. reality
• Ways to quit smoking
• Beta blockers and surgery
• DASH diet ignored
• How long on Plavix?
• Hernia surgery while taking Plavix
• Community heart check-ups
• Sotalol side effects

The Harvard Heart Letter is available from Harvard Health
Publications, the publishing division of Harvard Medical School, for
$28 per year. Subscribe at http://www.health.harvard.edu/heart or by
calling 877-649-9457 (toll-free).

Who loves ya.
Tom

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Man Is A Herbivore!
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DEAD PEOPLE WALKING
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