Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease associated with high risk of cardiovascular events. Among main causes of death in RA are: myocardial infarction, cerebrovascular accident, sudden cardiac death, which are determined by the early development and rapid progression of atherosclerotic vascular lesions. According to studies high risk of cardiovascular events is not explained by only classical risk factors. It is assumed that there are additional mechanisms of development of adverse outcomes such as systemic inflammation, increased arterial stiffness, and endothelial dysfunction. In this literature review we present various risk factors of cardiovascular events in patients with RA and their relation to RA pathogenesis.
Keywords: atherosclerosis; cardiology; cardiovascular complications; myocardial infarction; rheumatoid arthritis; rheumatology; stroke.