Posts tagged "heart attacks"

While February is American Heart Month, the month that may be better known for candy hearts, but the need for a national heart health awareness month is critical, say the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There are many people in Charleston, across West Virginia and throughout the country who have been either temporarily or permanently disabled by heart disease. There are over 2 million people who have a heart attack or a stroke each year, leaving many people in rehabilitation and unable to work.

Back in September 2011, the federal government partnered with private groups to lead a new initiative aimed at preventing one million heart attacks. Instead of focusing on providing better care to the people who have already had a heart attack or stroke, the program is designed to target the people who are at risk for heart disease and prevent any serious cardiac episodes.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a crippling disability that can seriously affect a person's ability to work. It is considered to be an autoimmune disease, which means it is caused by the body's own immune system attacking joint tissue and connective tissues in the body. This causes inflammation, pain, and a loss of joint flexibility and mobility.

While the effects rheumatoid arthritis has on the body's joints is well known, recently released research is showing that RA is linked to higher risks of heart attacks and cardiovascular disease. Swedish researchers followed 7,469 people who had rheumatoid arthritis for a period of 12 years and monitored how many of the patients developed heart disease and heart attacks. They then compared the people with RA to a group of 37,024 people who did not have RA.