Heart attack risk increases rapidly after rheumatoid arthritis is diagnosed (December 6, 2010) -- The risk of having a heart attack is 60% higher just a year after a patient has been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and it is very important that they are monitored for heart issues. Swedish researchers followed 7,469 patients diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), together with 37,024 matched controls without RA to determine the risk of ischaemic heart disease, with particular reference to myocardial infarction (heart attack). ... > full story

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/12/101206093216.htm

Hi Molly,

I was somewhat aware of this - heart attack and stroke are the biggest killers of people with RA. It's one of the reasons my doc is still fretting about the fact that we can't get my CRP down to normal even after a year on mtx and pred. He's nervous that the continuing abnormal CRP levels may be indicative of heart attack risk. I understand it's particularly risk if you experience very high levels of information in the blood stream so the fact that my CRP went up to 110 is also a cause for concern. The damage may have been done then.

Weird. I wonder if this is why my heart and lungs freak out so easy with meds and stress? Maybe the RF+ is more of a booger after the disease kicks up it's nasty little heels.