The medications you count on to soothe the painful, swollen joints may also affect your heart. That’s of special concern if you live with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), because research has shown that the chronic inflammation that is the hallmark of the disease can double your risk of a heart attack.
Here is what experts have to say on some of the most common arthritis drugs and your risks for heart attacks, heart failure and stroke.
DMARDs
Most traditional disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) appear to lower the risk of heart attacks and strokes, says Martin Jan Bergman, MD, chief of rheumatology at Taylor Hospital in Ridley Park, Pa.
“The longer you take them, the lower the risk,” says Dr. Bergman, who is analyzing data from the Questionnaires in Standard Monitoring of Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis (QUEST-RA) program. His latest results show that taking methotrexate for just one year decreased risk of heart attack by 18 percent and decreased risk for stroke by 11 percent.
The DMARDs sulfasalazine (Azulfidine) and leflunomide (Arava) had similar effects, Dr. Bergman says, while gold sodium thiomalate (Myochrysine) and antimalarials like hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil), seemed to have little impact on cardiovascular risks.
TNF blockers
Biologic drugs that block a chemical signal that spurs inflammation, called tumor necrosis factor alpha blockers, or TNF- a blockers, have revolutionized the treatment of RA. The data on how they affect the heart, however, is murky.
While research showed a decrease in risk of cardiovascular disease and heart attacks among people with RA who took TNF blockers, heart failure appears to be another story.
People with heart failure have high levels of TNF-a, so it was initially thought that TNF-a blocker drugs might be a treatment for this condition, says Daniel H. Solomon, MD, chief of clinical sciences in the division of rheumatology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.
We are all on different drugs, dosages, etc. It appears each of us is an individual and our doctors are treating us accordingly. No need to compare ourselves. We just need to each find our own way to feel better.
I wanted to add something else:
I just learned a new breathing exercise for anxiety from my doctor:
Get comfortable with your back as straight as you can. I sit on the bed with my back against my pillows and wall.
Take a breath in and hold for a count of four.
Then exhale for a count of at least eight. Keep your attention on the outbreath. Check in with yourself and see how you are. Think of ocean waves or pick some other image that relaxes you. Do this breathing exercise for nine minutes a day.
It has helped me relax.
When I first had RA, eleven years ago, I had to do injectable methotrexate. The doctor's assistant taught me to give myself the shot in the arm which was very difficult and got me quite upset. My friend taught me to give myself the shot in the thigh. Grab the fat part of your leg and inject it there. I take pills now which are so much easier. Sometimes it would take me twenty minutes to do the shot and my friend and I would laugh and laugh. It got to be pretty funny sometimes.
I have one more thing to add. Watch comedies. Make yourself laugh. It really helps the immune system.
Love and best wishes to you all.
Elle
Its mostly my hands feet neck that hurt all the time, but its manageable. The days that are bad, I for the most part suck it up, take a pain pill or two and try to sleep. That is what has become the most problematic, sleep. Now when I feel the need, my doctor prescribed Ambian CR and it works to give me a good night sleep without feeling groggy with plenty of energy to start a new day. Like I said, I do take my meds, and at this time pain is manageable. I am one of the luckier ones after reading the comments.
I had not thought of any connection before, but my ankles and feet started swelling in 2004. It was like looking down and seeing my grandma's ankles and feet attached to my legs! It happens more often than it did at first, but I haven't thught to complain to the doc except to ask for something to help me on trips over 1 1/2 hrs in the car or on a plane. I use pressure stockings and the "water pill" he gives me which is actually a high blood pressure medication. Hmmm. I suppose I should ask more questions esp bc both my grandparents died from CHF. Best wishes to you as you care for others. My daughter is a nurse so I know its not easy! Take care! V
enduring this at this time in our lives.
I was told that in 2000 that I had RA.
Well you all know the drill, Pedisone, Methotrexate,asprin, anything for pain you can stand, and still get out of bed (LOL).
The one thing and only thing that works better than anything is Prayer.
God has not forgoten the ones that cry out in the night in so much pain words can not say.
God cares, God hears,
So as I close my first text,
I will pray for all of you and may the Goodness and Mercy of Our Lord and Savior
Jesus Christ heal you all.
Many people do not understand that stress & flair go hand & hand. I had blood work done & repeated 8 days apart my CRP (0.1-0.8) was 0.7 and went up to 2.1 and my sedrate doubled, & WBC count was WAY up! This was during an extreme period of stress for me, so yes yoga(beginners only) & water excerscis are the two things I can do that are easier on my joints & muscles.
I take fish oil 4000mg a day, Stress B complex, potassium, and Citracal w/D & magnesium which also seem to help. I feel like I take a pharmacy a day but if you are not getting better or STABLE w/ your doctor try another or a combination of several. It is more costly but the cost of being able to get out of bed is worth that 2 extra copays q 3 months.
I found out by accident by using Neurontin
for leg cramps that it works on nerve pain also.
I had a quick onset of knee and joint pain over a year it was unbearable at times going up stairs. My son who works with these types of drugs told me to ask my Dr about Neuron tin. He agreed and my arthritis is much better,this is also a mood stabilizer. There have been no negative reports on the drug that I have found and it is quite safe. It will make you happy ,don't abuse it just enjoy the pain free life with out strong additicive drugs.
Sunnie in WA
I've had RA for 11 years. I'm 56. Currently I'm on methotrexate, folic acid and sulfazine. I decided never to take prednisone again recently. My labs have all been pretty normal except for the first lab I had in January 99. At first I was so scared and tired ( I worked for superior court and took 10 months off). I finally went back to work and worked another 7 years. I sometimes had my union help me to get my accommodations. Now I'm retired. I've had three remissions. The last remission lasted 2 months. My knees swelled up so I could hardly walk. It took eight months to get my RA under control and to get off prednisone. Last Sept. my right knee swelled up again. More prednisone. This time my blood pressure went way up. Five months later I had chest pain and difficult heartburn and ended up in the ER. Nothing was wrong with my heart, it was heartburn. I had an endoscopy and nothing showed. I got off the prednisone and my right knee swelled up again. I got a stress test from my cardiologist and my heart is really good and fine. Both my cardiologist and regular GP said no blood pressure drugs for me. Now both my knees are swollen and I'm on 6 2.5mg methotrexate pills per week. I'm keeping my faith that the methotrexate will get my swelling down without prednisone. My point is that each of us is different and we are all going through difficulty with our illnesses. I've been watching comedies. I saw my therapist and she gave me a deep breathing technique similar to the relaxation response. It has helped tremendously. I take magnesium, fish oil and 1 T of flax seed per day. I hope all of you keep getting better. Love, Elle
1 tab in the PM
lisinopril 10mg 1 pill in the AM
levothyroxine 100 mg 1 pill in the AM
omeprazole 20 mg 1 pill in the AM
omega 3 fish oil 3000mg in the AM
stopped taking meloxicam because had a high blood pressure (204/100)
so taking tylenol arithtis 2 tabs at 3 times a day.
Too many oills i hate that. HELP
probably not suppose to do this,but David, I would like to hear more from you. :)
David, I am really interested in your natural supplement. I know a lot of that stuff works where other things fail.
And as someone else said, docs are so scared to prescribe pain meds. I understand, and I now know they are not the answer long term unless you are terminal. My tolerance to them builds so quickly, and I really don't like the way they make me feel in the long run. I am going insane with pain.
The product I use is Gluco Matrix sold by Vital Earth. My doctor is amazed at my feeedom from pain and my ability to walk.(by the way I am 88 ). Quoting my DR. at the VA. " I'll bet a lot of folks would like to know what you are taking". So here it is.
years-murky?on medications for chol/hbp
is my rask factor higher
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