❤ What happens when patients with rheumatic disease have a heart attack?
These diseases have long been considered a risk factor for more severe heart attack. Now researchers have investigated how these patients are actually doing - and the findings challenge many have believed.
In the picture you see Eirik Ikdahl, at the Remedy Center at Diakonhjemmet Hospital. He has researched myocardial infarction in patients with rheumatic disease. Photo: Nicolas Tourrenc, Diakonhjemmet Hospital
Patients with rheumatic diseases are at increased risk of cardiovascular disease. It has been a common belief that patients with such diseases also have poorer outcomes in myocardial infarction than others.
- We found no signs of it, says Eirik Ikdahl. He is a researcher at the Remedy Center and a doctor at Diakonhjemmet Hospital.
He says that they wanted to find out if there was a hold in the assumption that these patients have more severe heart attack and poorer treatment than the population otherwise.
Infarction with and without arthritis disease
To find the answer, researchers analyzed data from around 37,000 people who had their first heart attack between 2013 and 2017. Among these had over 1700 rheumatic diseases.
- We looked at the diseases of rheumatoid arthritis (arthritis), axial spondyloarthritis (formerly called Bakherev) and psoriasis arthritis, explains Ikdahl.
They examined whether these patients suffered more heart damage, poorer treatment or lower survival than those without arthritis.
The answer lay in the heart registers
In Norway, almost all myocardial infarction is recorded. The researchers could therefore use data from the entire Norwegian population to look at the heart attack in people with rheumatic diseases against people without such diseases.
- The results challenge what we have previously believed - and it is a real joyful news, says Eirik Ikdahl.
Security for the patients
He thinks the results are important - not only professionally, but also for the patients.
- This gives reason for security. Although people with rheumatic diseases are more prone to cardiovascular disease over time, it does not appear that the heart attack itself gets worse if it first happens.
It is important knowledge for both patients and therapists.
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What is a heart attack?
A heart attack occurs when a blood clot seals one of the coronary arteries of the heart, causing part of the heart muscle not to get enough oxygen. If the blood supply is not restored quickly, it can cause lasting damage to the heart muscle.
Typical symptoms:
- Pressing or squeezing chest pain
- Pain that rays of arms, neck, jaw or back
- Shortness
- Cold sweat
- Nausea or dizziness
NB: Women, the elderly and people with diabetes may have more diffuse symptoms.
Treatment:
Quick treatment is crucial. This may include blood clot -dissolving medicines or a procedure called angioplasty (blocking) to open the dense artery.
Complications:
Without rapid treatment, heart attack can cause serious complications such as heartbeat disorders, heart failure or cardiac arrest.
Prevention:
Lifestyle changes such as smoking cessation, regular exercise, healthy diet and control of blood pressure and cholesterol can reduce the risk of heart attack.
