Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease in Rheumatoid Arthritis: Impact of Inflammation and Antirheumatic Treatment.

ABSTRACT: Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are at approximately 1.5-fold risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD) compared with the general population, a phenomenon resulting from combined effects of traditional CVD risk factors and systemic inflammation. Rheumatoid synovitis and unstable atherosclerotic plaques share common inflammatory mechanisms, such as expression of proinflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α and IL-6. RA patients are undertreated in terms of CVD prevention, and structured CVD prevention programmes are warranted. Alongside management of traditional risk factors, suppressing systemic inflammation with antirheumatic medication is fundamental for the reduction of CVD risk among this high-risk patient group. Many antirheumatic dru

SUBMITTER: Kerola AM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8145075 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature