Arthritis is a widely-known joint disorder that's associated with a considerable amount of pain and often results in limited joint movement. While this disorder is associated with numerous other complications related to the joints alone, newer studies have revealed a possible association with heart disorders. It has been reported that the presence of arthritis such as rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis, increases your risk of developing heart disorders!
Risk of Atherosclerosis
Atherosclerosis is a condition characterized by accumulation of fatty material (referred as plaque) along the walls of the blood vessels. This often results in narrowing of the blood vessels thereby reducing the amount of blood flowing through them. This in turn increases the workload of the heart, leading to numerous changes in the heart structure and functions.
Additionally, the fatty material can often get dislodged from its original location and form blocks in the blood vessels within the heart (known as coronary arteries) and also other organs. Such a condition often results in blockage of the blood supply to the heart, which can lead to heart attacks.
The study which evaluated the risk of heart disorders in individuals suffering from arthritis reported several findings which are a matter of concern. It was noted that individuals with arthritis had many important changes in the heart structure which were considered to be dangerous. Risk of atherosclerosis was one of the main concerns in arthritic individuals.
Although these individuals did not have any prior symptoms of heart disorders, the findings suggested an increased risk of such an occurrence. It was noted that the thickness of the walls of the blood vessels was greater than before. The presence of plaque within the blood vessels was also observed. Further, the walls of the blood vessels had become stiff and were damaged at different places. All these findings suggested an increased risk of heart disorders in these individuals.
Factors That Increased the Risk
The authors of the study noted that the risk of heart disorders in individuals suffering from psoriatic or rheumatoid arthritis was higher in certain cases only.
Individuals with severe form of arthritis or those with widespread arthritis had a higher risk of developing heart related complications than others. Additionally, factors such as the presence of rheumatoid arthritis, involvement of other organs, high cholesterol levels, and high blood pressure, further accentuated such abnormal changes in the blood vessels.
Conclusion
It was concluded that individuals suffering from arthritis are more prone to develop heart related disorders due to the increased risk of atherosclerosis. Therefore, such individuals should take adequate care to ensure that the cholesterol levels and blood pressure levels are within normal ranges. The symptoms and other related factors in psoriatic and rheumatoid arthritis must also be kept under control by strictly following the advice of the doctor.
Although there is a risk of heart disorders in individuals with arthritis, with proper care and adequate preventive steps, it can definitely be decreased.
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