Cardiovascular Imaging

Rheumatoid arthritis, cardiovascular manifestation

consists of pericarditis, granulomas of the myocardium, and arteritis. The frequency of pericarditis in advanced rheumatoid arthritis is about 30% as defined by echocardiography. Rarely, rheumatoid pericarditis can cause haemopericardium or constrictive pericarditis. Rheumatoid nodules of the myocardium occur in about 20% of patients but overt myocardial dysfunction is very infrequent. Rheumatoid coronary arteritis can cause coronary obstructive disease. Rheumatoid pulmonary vasculitis is a rare cause of pulmonary arterial hypertension. Rheumatoid inflammation and fibrosis of cardiac valves can result in valvular regurgitation most frequently involving the mitral and aortic valves.

CBH