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Very interesting. Thanks for the info! 🙂
But I suppose having Rheumatoid heart disease isn’t going to prevent me from compounding it with regular old heart disease, seeing as I seem to have emerged from the murky end of the gene pool and all. Guess I won’t push my luck on the lipids…. 🙂
With the medication I am taking which is Actemra I have to have fasting lipid panels every month. My tryglicerides and LDL’s have flucuated dramatically since taking this biologic. My last one taken in the latter part of April has my tryglicerides and LDL’s extremely high. I have never had a problem with my cholesterol before, actually is was in the very good range. Now I am worried I may have to take a statin to keep the numbers in range, statins haven’t worked well in my family–due to the muscle pain in the legs (which statins will cause). I have tried OTC Niacin, maybe I should increase the dosage slightly.
I am wondering if a round of Prednisone would have anything to do with the cholesterol levels. Does anyone know?
Sheila,
Actemra does affect lipids in some patients – that’s why their keeping a close eye on it – I’m pretty sure your doc would pull you off the Actemra before having you go on another drug to control cholestorol – but that is only a guess based on what I’ve been told. Have you asked the doc where he’d draw the line?
The low-back pain is an ailment that causes many expenses to the companies because this disease is one of the most common cause of work absenteeism. It is why the low-back pain is recognized in the world like a problem of world-wide health.
Many factors exist that can aggravate the lumbar complaints such as overweight that causes our it support to endure greater weight of things, the stress that it causes when the muscles are put keep, bad position when sitting, the sedentary life and the lack of calcium; not allowing to fortify the bones.
Mentions Findrxonline as the acute low-back pain is mainly an appearance after some effort that causes muscle stretch, this low-back pain is of short duration and it is possible to be fought with analgesics like Aspirin, Acetaminophen, Ibuprofen, Naproxen, VicodinLortab Lorcet Norco, Percocet, Percodan, MSIR, Oxycontin, Dilaudid and other pain killers.
A confusing topic to say the least. A lot of things have to be teased out. One has to take into account also how each of the different current RA treatments also affect lipid levels and how this affects RA heart disease. One big point to remember is that it is often more silent in RA than regular folks.
Before my cholesterol went up and he wasn’t pleased, but like I told him I don’t really eat “a lot” of junk food. Don’t eat fatty foods. This time he didn’t see the results of the blood work cause I had to see them and the nurse said she hadn’t recieved them. Before this they have leveled out pretty good. This time and I have no idea why they spiked pretty high, both tryglicerides and LDL’s!!! Not good. He told me before I have to watch them closely, but my goodness I could see if I was eating junk a lot. Before the Actemra, never had a problem with cholesterol. So I am not sure what he is going to say. Usually when I am getting infusion I don’t really see him. Just the nurse. I am sure he will want to see me now after these levels.
yes, he probably will. and maybe you can ask him *why* the cholesterol goes up. I was told while I was on it that it’s not just the cholesterol levels themselves, but that it’s a sign that something else is being affected by the drug – I need to look that up because I can’t remember what that is.
Sheila – I’m taking Actemra and now have high cholesterol levels (I didn’t before). Apparently it’s a common side effect. Here in the UK, they treat with statins rather than stopping the Actemra. I’m relieved, as right now I’d rather have the cholesterol problem than my RA symptoms back. The Actemra has just about wiped out the RA, and according to my rheumy, that means it’s also preventing other stuff like Rheumatoid Heart Disease. I haven’t started the statins yet, so I don’t know how I’ll get on with them. Seems like we swap one set of problems for another! But I’m definitely sticking with the Actemra for as long as they’ll let me.
Does your rheum doc actually use that phrase “Rheumatoid heart disease”? I’ve haven’t heard a doctor use it or seen it in current literature & I’d be glad to know that the term is spreading! Unfortunately there is no known way to prevent it, but aggressively treating the RA is our best bet, so I hope that works as he said.
I think the expression may be mine, rather than my doctor’s. In the UK, the Drs would probably avoid ‘Rheumatoid Heart Disease’, as it sounds too much like ‘Rheumatic Heart Disease’ which is a very different condition (I’m told). But my Rheumy runs a research unit and is *passionate* about improving the lives of RA sufferers. His team have been very informative, about all the problems associated with RA, and the side effects of the treatments. Everything is discussed with me in a balanced way. I am lucky, as I was part of the research trials for Actemra in the UK, so have access to these wonderful people. I have a friend who is has RA worse than me, is treated at the same hospital, by a different doctor. He doesn’t get the same level of care and information. I thought the the variations in the quality of care were due to our NHS system, but it seems like it’s the same for you people in the States!
Until all of the rheum docs work **together with cardiologists, orthopedic surgeons and primary care docs, I do not have great confidence in the care we RAers are getting. As good as my rheum is, he hasn’t mentioned going to a cardiologist. I will take this up with him next visit. Same with my internist. My husband, with “typical” genetically inherited horrible heart disease, has a great cardiologist (for him), so I’ll get a referral there. We’ll see what he has to say. SIGH! another doc, another co-pay. Another procedure, another co-pay. At last calculation, over 3/4 of our income goes to medical insurance, Rx’s, & doc visits. I’m wondering if we will have to take out a loan for food next winter. Trying to balance one thing against another is interesting to say the least.
But it’s discouraging to realize that all this expenditure is really just a delaying action. In the end, our hearts probably will get us, despite all the Rxs and treatments.
I had to smile on that piece meal doc approach you mentioned. I feel the best way to reduce healthcare costs in this country is to do an approach I had when I first got diagnosed with ra. All my docs were housed in one complex including the labs, xrays, etc. Every doc shared the same set of records and there was only one set in a main file room that was pulled and sent to your docs appointment. This approach reduced so many redundent tests, etc. It drives me crazy keeping track of which doc ran what tests and trying to make sure that another doc doesn’t order a repeat test of something I recently had done already. And then talk about the right hand not knowing what the left hand is doing with meds…ugh!! And they all expect you, the patient to listen to them first. Reminds me of the headless rider soaring down the path. I feel like a puzzle spread out on a table. Each piece a seperate specialty with nar a soul to put me back together again 🙂
Boy did you hit the nail on the head – none of the Dr..communicate- and I feel I have a great rheum.Dr. and she does push for check ups but if I see another Dr they never send info back to rheum Dr- I had cardio.Dr do a CT on the heart called ” calcium score” and I have plaque buildup already -but while doing the CT had them do a chest shot and found noduil on lung. We all need a note book to take to each Dr apt to make sure they are following up on potential problems because the Dr. are not.
making your records electronic would help solve this – as long as you were allowed to correct errors & have control over who sees them. It is coming eventually, hopefully with proper safeguards. I’m glad your cardio doc knows what to look at – good luck w/it.
My name is Rita Thomas, and I am a Medical Research Coordinator for a market research firm in Chicago, called Fieldwork (www.fieldwork.com). We currently have a study going on about Rheumatoid Arthritis, and are looking for a specific type of patient. We are looking for sufferers who USED to take a TNF-Inhibitor like Enbrel, Humira, Remicade, Simponi or Cimzia and has recently switched to Rituxan, Kineret, Orencia or Actemra/RoActemra. We are also looking for sufferers who have recently switched from one TNF-Inhibitor to another TNF-Inhibitor (Enbrel, Humira, Remicade, Simponi, Cimzia). I thought by posting here, some of you would enjoy the chance to help in this important research. The study is on-line, lasts approximatley 45 mins and we’ll compensate you $75 for your time and opinions. I’d like to assure you now, we do not engage in sales, and your interview is completely confidential. If you’d like to speak with me to learn more about the study, or to answer the qualifying questions, give me a call at 888-863-4353 and ask for Rita Thomas.
Thanks for your help in this important research.
Sincerely, Rita Thomas
Medical Research Coordinater
Looks like you were ahead of the rest of the medical community. I haven’t been able to compare both your blog and this link (http://www.doctorslounge.com/index.php/news/hd/19928?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter) to see what’s identical or not (if they took stuff), but I do realize I need to take my military medical records to my rheum and have your information and that link’s information with me.
This is a very timely message as we have 3 or 4 people in our community going through various forms of Rheumatoid Heart disease right now. I’m sure the meds we take do not help matters at all with our hearts, but the poison that keeps me walking is the poison I choose. Thanks Kelly good article.
Probably about 10 years ago my Rheumo stressed to me the importance of seeing a Pulmonary Specialist twice a year. I believe it’s a must for anyone with RA!!!!
Very interesting! I have a pre-existing heart condition and when I asked my cardiologist about additional heart issues after being diagnosed with RA, he told me there were none. Looks like I’ll be cardiologist shopping. *sigh*
My rheumatoid heart disease presented as high pulse rate, intermittently elevated blood pressure and shortness of breath on minimal exertion. All my cardiac labs, echocardiogram, stress test and EKG were normal. My cardiologist told me that the thickening in the heart can be similar to a rheumatoid nodule.They think my abnormality is near my natural pacemaker.
I have spent the last year getting everything else ruled out, but it looks like sometime this spring I will be having an ablation and pacemaker insertion. I will still have to be on cardiac meds after, but hopefully I can get up and go again.