Open AccessIncidence of myocardial infarction in patients with rheumatoid arthritis
Author(s) -
Davis Richard F.,
Engleman Edgar G.
Publication year - 1974
Publication title -
arthritis & rheumatism
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1529-0131
pISSN - 0004-3591
DOI - 10.1002/art.1780170506
Subject(s) - medicine , rheumatoid arthritis , myocardial infarction , aspirin , cardiology , incidence (geometry) , thrombosis , autopsy , embolism , pulmonary embolism , population , physics , environmental health , optics
At autopsy, 62 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) showed significantly lower morbidity (P < 0.001) and mortality (P < 0.02) from myocardial infarction than 62 matched control patients, but there were no significant differences in frequency of cerebral infarction or pulmonary embolism. Coronary artery atherosclerosis occurred as frequently in the patients with RA as in the control population, suggesting that there may be a decreased tendency toward thrombosis in the rheumatoid group. Therapy with aspirin and the consequent inhibition of platelet aggregation may explain this observation.