Cardiac complications in rheumatoid arthritis in the absence of occlusive coronary pathology

Armen Yuri Gasparyan; Giuseppe Cocco; Stefano Pandolfi

doi:10.1007/s00296-009-1318-4

Cardiac complications in rheumatoid arthritis in the absence of occlusive coronary pathology

Rheumatol Int. 2012 Feb;32(2):461-4. doi: 10.1007/s00296-009-1318-4. Epub 2009 Dec 20.

Authors

Armen Yuri Gasparyan¹, Giuseppe Cocco, Stefano Pandolfi

Affiliation

¹ Department of Rheumatology, Russell's Hall Hospital, Dudley Group of Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, West Midlands, UK. a.gasparyan@gmail.com

PMID: 20091033
DOI: 10.1007/s00296-009-1318-4

Abstract

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of premature mortality in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Pathophysiology of rheumatoid cardiovascular phenomenon is not fully understood, but systemic inflammation is thought to play a crucial role in the endothelial damage and accelerated course of atherosclerotic disease. Rheumatoid inflammation can also cause coronary pathology and heart failure. We present a case of transient cardiomyopathy in RA in the absence of occlusive coronary pathology, which mimics acute coronary syndrome.

Publication types

Case Reports

MeSH terms

Arthritis, Rheumatoid / complications*
Arthritis, Rheumatoid / physiopathology*
Cardiomyopathies / diagnosis
Cardiomyopathies / etiology*
Cardiomyopathies / physiopathology*
Cardiovascular Diseases / diagnosis
Cardiovascular Diseases / etiology*
Cardiovascular Diseases / physiopathology*
Chest Pain / etiology
Coronary Vasospasm / diagnosis
Coronary Vasospasm / etiology
Coronary Vasospasm / physiopathology
Female
Humans
Middle Aged
Myocardial Stunning / diagnosis
Myocardial Stunning / etiology
Myocardial Stunning / physiopathology