[Cardiovascular disorders in rheumatoid arthritis]

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Traditional cardiovascular risk factors (including male sex, family history for cardiovascular disease, age, dyslipidaemia, arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, smoking and obesity) do not adequately account for the extent of cardiovascular disease in RA. The pathogenesis of accelerated atherosclerosis in RA is not clear. Increasing evidence suggests a key role of inflammation in the onset and progression of atherosclerosis. Endothelial dysfunction represents the earliest manifestation of atherosclerosis. Hypertension prevalence in patients with RA is higher than that in the general population, It is attributable risk to the development of future cardiovascular events. Despite its serious complications, control of hypertension is far from adequate in the general population and even more so in rheumatoid arthritis patients.