Heart to Heart:
Experts Discuss Cardiovascular Risk in Rheumatoid Arthritis
- 5-minute read / 15-minute listen
RA disease control can improve CVD risk, contributing to overall patient health and wellness1–4
Podcast
- Dr. Fleischmann and Dr. Charles-Schoeman • July 2022
The experts
Christina Charles-Schoeman, MD
Professor of Medicine and Chief of the Division of Rheumatology; UCLA
Roy M. Fleischmann, MD
Clinical Professor of Medicine; University of Texas Southwestern
Key information
Risk
Patients with RA have a 50% higher risk of CVD death, compared to the general population5*
Disease control
Achieving remission can reduce the risk of CVD6†
How often do you talk to your patients with RA about CVD risk?
What you can do today for your patients with RA8
Start DMARDs as soon as RA is diagnosed
Educate patients with RA on CVD risk
Assess CVD risk at least every 5 years
Including lipid level assessment
Adapt CVD risk calculators for RA;
Multiply by 1.5x for RA
Co-manage with a team
including cardiologists and PCPs9
Sustained remission or LDA is the goal in every patient 8, 10, 11
How likely are you to regularly assess CVD risk in your patients with RA?
Resource
Find out more about CVD risk in patients with RA
CV, cardiovascular; CVD, cardiovascular disease; DMARD; disease-modifying antirheumatic drug; LDA, low disease activity; PCP, primary care provider; RA, rheumatoid arthritis.
*From a meta-analysis of 24 case-controlled and cohort studies ranging from 1970–2005 with a total of 111,758 patients.
†Records analysis of 525 patients with RA and 524 age- and sex- matched controls; patients in Minnesota were diagnosed 1988–2007 and followed through 2012.
1. Mehta B, et al. RMD Open. 2019;5(1):e000935;
2. van Diepen S, et al. Circulation. 2008;118(19):1946–1952;
3. Elandt K, Aletaha D. Arthritis Res Ther. 2011;13(3);223;
4. Scott IC, et al. RMD Open. 2016;2(2):e000270;
5. Aviña-Zubieta JA, et al. Arthritis Rheum. 2008;59(12):1690–1697;
6. Myasoedova E, et al. Ann Rheum Dis. 2016;75(3):560–565;
7. Crowson CS, et al. Ann Rheum Dis. 2018;77(1):48–54;
8. Agca R, et al. Ann Rheum Dis. 2017;76(1):17–28;
9. Guerra JD, et al. Clin Rheumatol. 2022;41(12):3715–3724;
10. Smolen JS, et al. 2023;82:3–18.
11. Fraenkel L, et al. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2021;73(7): 924–939.