[Rheumatoid arthritis : cardiovascular and pulmonary manifestations]

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) often affects extra-articular structures. Treatments used for arthritis are often also effective on the extra-articular manifestations, but exceptions are numerous, particularly for cardiovascular and pulmonary problems. Cardiovascular disorders mainly include complications related to atherosclerosis : they are probably the main contributor to the increased mortality observed in RA, must be specifically taken into account and largely determine the choice of treatments used to treat RA. The most problematic pulmonary complications are the different types of interstitial lung disease ; they too must be specifically managed and condition the choice of treatments.