Do RA Patients Face Higher Risk of Heart Attacks After Joint Surgery?

U.S. News & World Report—September 20, 2017

U.S. News & World Report featured a recent study that stated that people with rheumatoid arthritis could have an increased risk of cardiac complications after joint surgery compared to those who do not have the condition.

HSS rheumatologist Susan M. Goodman, MD said there is an overall lack of research in this area. "Postoperative cardiac risk has never been studied and linked to RA disease activity," she said.

"Cardiac risk for patients with RA is greatest when the RA is poorly controlled, there is active inflammation and functional capacity is poor," Dr. Goodman added.

To prevent these risk factors, Dr. Goodman said clinicians follow the guidelines of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association for preoperative cardiac risk assessment.

Dr. Goodman noted that overall "patients with RA are not at an increased risk compared to non-RA patients in the surgical setting."

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