Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis Are at Excess Risk for Cardiovascular Complications

Risk calculators used for determining patients' proclivity to develop cardiovascular complications might be inadequate in this population.

The Framingham Risk Score (FRS) underestimates cardiovascular risk in young patients, women, and patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Patients with RA are more likely to develop coronary artery calcifications (CACs) than are people without RA, but because of expense and substantial radiation exposure, CAC measurement is not a standard test to determine cardiovascular risk. In this study, 98 RA patients who met criteria for risk stratification using the 2013 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) risk calculator were studied and their CAC-estimated risk was compared with their risk category as assigned by standard risk calculators (i.e., FRS, Reynolds Risk Score [RRS], and ACC/AHA risk score).

Thirty-four part…

Reviewing Author

Jonathan S. Coblyn, MD

Disclosures

Consultant / Advisory BoardCVS Health

Editorial BoardsUpToDate

Jonathan S. Coblyn, MD

Disclosures

Consultant / Advisory BoardCVS Health

Editorial BoardsUpToDate

Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis Are at Excess Risk for Cardiovascular Complications

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Reviewing Author