Role of Inflammatory Cytokines in Rheumatoid Arthritis and Development of Atherosclerosis: A Review

Uncontrolled chronic inflammation results in cardiovascular disease and early death. In this review, we studied the impact of rheumatoid arthritis on the cardiovascular system, including the early and accelerated development of atherosclerosis and its clinical manifestations, focusing on the inflamm...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Dražen Bedeković, Ivica Bošnjak, Sandra Šarić, Damir Kirner, Srđan Novak
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-08-01
Series:Medicina
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1648-9144/59/9/1550
Description
Summary:Uncontrolled chronic inflammation results in cardiovascular disease and early death. In this review, we studied the impact of rheumatoid arthritis on the cardiovascular system, including the early and accelerated development of atherosclerosis and its clinical manifestations, focusing on the inflammatory mechanisms leading to arterial wall damage, rapid atherosclerotic plaque formation, and thrombosis. Furthermore, the effect of medications used to treat rheumatoid arthritis on the cardiovascular system was studied. The effect of chronic inflammation and medication on traditional cardiovascular risk factors is not the main subject of this review. We observed that uncontrolled chronic inflammation and some medications directly impact all the stages of atherosclerosis. In conclusion, reducing inflammation and maintaining long-term remission in rheumatoid arthritis may prevent early atherosclerosis. We believe that this review will encourage a better interdisciplinary approach to the management of these patients and further research in this field.
ISSN:1010-660X
1648-9144