title: Cardiovascular effects of methotrexate in rheumatoid arthritis revisited.
abstract: Cardiovascular events such as myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke due to enhanced inflammatory atherosclerosis account for increased premature mortality in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Accumulated evidence suggests that accelerated atherosclerosis and related cardiovascular comorbidities in RA are confounded not only by traditional risk factors (TRF) but also by a number of immune and inflammatory pathways. Since chronic inflammation and autoimmune disorders play a key role in atherosclerosis and related cardiovascular complications in RA, effective suppression of systemic inflammation can be viewed as a strategy for cardiovascular therapy and prevention in this disease. This article overviews some mechanisms of action of methotrexate on TRF, clinical and subclinical manifestations of RA-induced atherosclerosis, and related cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.
authors: Department of Vascular Pathology of Rheumatic Diseases, V.A. Nasonova Research Institute of Rheumatology, Russian Academy Sciences, Kashirskoe Shosse, 34A, Moscow, 115522, Russian Federation. popkovatv@mail.ru.
authors: Tatyana V
authors: TV
authors: Popkova
authors: Diana S
authors: DS
authors: Novikova
authors: Armen Yuri
authors: AY
authors: Gasparyan
authors: Evgeny L
authors: EL
authors: Nasonov
mesh_terms: D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D008727:Methotrexate