Heart News
Rheumatoid arthritis drug lowers risk of heart disease
Anti-inflammatory medication suppresses arterial inflammation
Rheumatoid arthritis ( RA ) medications may help reduce the risk of heart disease , according to researchers at Brigham and Women ’ s Hospital in Massachusetts .
RA is an autoimmune disorder that affects joint tissue , leading to symptoms such as painful joints , swelling , and stiffness . Doctors usually prescribe methotrexate , the standard medication for this condition , as well as drugs that reduce tumour necrosis factor ( TNF ) levels . TNF is a type of protein that causes inflammation . A third type of treatment is called triple therapy , which combines methotrexate with other common anti-inflammatory drugs , such as sulfasalazine and hydroxychloroquine .
In their study , the researchers recruited 115 participants diagnosed with moderate to severe RA who were intolerant to methotrexate . They then compared the efficacy of TNF-inhibiting drugs , such as etanercept or adalimumab , and triple therapy to methotrexate in terms of their effects on arterial inflammation , a key indicator for heart disease . The participants were randomised into two groups for six months .
They found that both groups experienced significant reductions in arterial inflammation and rheumatoid arthritis after undergoing an F-fluorodeoxyglucose ( FDG ) PET�CT scan . They suggest that future research investigate the mechanisms of arterial inflammation reduction by RA treatments regardless of their effect on RA .
Mild congenital heart disease may not hinder fertility
Study shows no link between heart defects and childbearing
A
Danish study reveals that women and men with simple or moderate congenital cardiovascular problems are no more likely to experience infertility as adults than others .
The nationwide study of 1.4 million individuals in Denmark between 1977 and 2000 provides clarification to patients who are concerned about how the condition may influence their fertility if they choose to start a family .
Published in the Journal of the American Heart Association , it found that less than one percent ( 8,679 individuals ) of the population was diagnosed with congenital heart disease ( CHD ). Among this small group , detailed findings showed that 3.2 percent of men with heart defects were infertile compared to 3.6 percent without heart defects , and 4.7 percent of women with heart defects were infertile compared to 5.6 percent who had no heart defects . These statistics show men and women with basic or moderate CHD did not have a higher incidence of infertility than the general population .
While there was a tendency for a higher incidence of infertility in persons with complex defects , the numbers were small and showed no correlation . The study also found that patients with CHD were significantly more likely to remain childless , but those who became parents had the same number of children as parents without CHD .
The research team is optimistic that their findings will provide reliable data to CHD specialists who provide prepregnancy counselling , alleviating some potential concerns associated with living with CHD .
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