Rheumatoid Arthritis has been rising in women and researchers have noted an increase in heart attacks because of it. Men, on the other hand have not experienced an increase, and this news comes after a 40 year decline in Rheumatoid Arthritis in women.
My youngest sister was diagnosed with the disease in 2004 and has spent hours researching her disease. She wants to make sure that all medical diagnoses she receives are not too risky as well as helpful.
"I went to the library, I was on the internet just trying to find out every bit of information I could about the disease. My doctors couldn't seem to answer all the questions I had at the time."
Eric Ruderman, MD, associate professor of medicine and rheumatologist at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago says, "This is the first I've seen that speaks to this" he told WebMD after reviewing the new study.
Heart attacks may increase in women who have Rheumatoid Arthritis. Causing the chambers in the heart to become stiff. The condition known as diastolic dysfunction causes the lower chambers of the heart to become impaired which could lead to heart failure.
Some of the common symptoms that patients and doctors can watch out for are:
- Loss of energy
- Decreased appetite
- Lumps, rheumatoid nodules that occur beneath the skin
2 comments
it's an ugly little disease, my step mother had it. the psychological aspects are worse than the physical.
thank you rory, my sister has the disease and she has her good days and her bad days.
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