Data on 327 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) from the FRANCIS study show that risk factors linked to cardiovascular disease (CVD) are frequently underdiagnosed and undertreated in this group. Over 80% of patients with a 10-year CVD risk ≥10% (assessed using two different adaptations of Systemic Coronary Risk Evaluation tables) had elevated LDL cholesterol levels, and 32–42% had hypertension. Over half of those receiving treatment (6% statins, 23–25% antihypertensive drugs) did not achieve recommended treatment targets.
References
van Breukelen-van der Stoep, D. F. et al. Marked underdiagnosis and undertreatment of hypertension and hypercholesterolaemia in rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatology (Oxford) http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/rheumatology/kew039 (2016)
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Collison, J. Chronic underdiagnosis of CVD in patients with RA. Nat Rev Rheumatol 12, 254 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrrheum.2016.57
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrrheum.2016.57
