title: Cardiovascular Disease Risk in Patients with Rheumatic Diseases.
abstract: Evidence suggests the greater than 1.5 increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is related to an accelerated burden of subclinical atherosclerosis that develops before the diagnosis of RA. Dyslipidemia in RA is better quantified by lipoproteins and apolipoproteins than cholesterol levels. Current risk factors likely underestimate CVD risk partly by underestimating prior risk factor levels. To reduce CVD risk in RA, control disease activity and aggressively treat CVD risk factors. Some of the two-fold higher risk of heart failure and total mortality in RA may be due to myocardial disease caused by inflammation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, 542 Bellefield Professional Building, 130 North Bellefield Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA. Electronic address: mackey@edc.pitt.edu.
authors.forename: Rachel H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Mackey
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, Room 550, Bellefield Professional Building, 130 North Bellefield Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
authors.forename: Lewis H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Kuller
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 3500 Terrace Street, Thomas E. Starzl Biomedical Science Tower South 711, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA.
authors.forename: Larry W
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Moreland
mesh_terms: D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D014943:Global Health; D006801:Humans; D009017:Morbidity; D012216:Rheumatic Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D015996:Survival Rate
keywords: Cardiovascular; Lipids; Lipoproteins; Myocardial fibrosis; Rheumatoid arthritis