Does Arthritis Cause Heart Disease?

We’ve known for a long time that arthritic changes are associated with an increased risk of heart disease.

The big question was why is arthritis associated with heart disease?

After all, arthritic changes are more common as we age and so is heart disease. Was the connection simply from age?

Researchers started looking into this.

What they’ve found is that the association is not simply getting older but was related to medications taken for pain relief and ‘anti-inflammatories.’ By the way anti-inflammatories are pain relievers, they’re not magical pills that will fix an inflammatory condition. They do, like nsaids (motrin etc) block certain inflammatory pathways temporarily.

The medications have no permanent effect on inflammation, it’s a temporary effect. These chemicals shut down enzymes that convert certain fats found primarily in ‘vegetable‘ oils into chemicals of pain and inflammation. They also block enzymes that help protect organs.

The cardiovascular risks of NSAIDs (most over the counter and many prescription pain relievers/anti-inflammatories) were identified decades ago.

Researchers found the relationship of osteoarthritis and cardiovascular risks. They studied the impact of taking NSAID pain relievers (both over the counter and prescription) on risks.

…and what they uncovered were some shocking results!

Researchers found 41% increased risk of cardiovascular event from taking pain relievers/anti-inflammatories and a 64% increase in strokes.

This means that for basically a few hours of reducing pain, each time you take a pain reliever/anti-inflammatory you are increasing your risk of a much more serious problem… heart attack and stroke.

Heart attacks and strokes are the problems that very well may take you out or cause serious disability.

Here’s the other important thing, if you have a heart problem or a problem effecting the heart like diabetes then you are at a much greater risk of a major cardiovascular problem already and adding these over the counter or prescription medications could be the event that pushes you into an event like a heart attack.

This really goes back to a few key points about health and our ideas about health… including pain (pain is a health problem).

Symptom based health care whether it’s over the counter or prescription medications can not be all you do for health if you want to keep your health.

You should not treat a symptom with a chemical without at least also addressing the underlying cause of the symptom with putting yourself at high risk of serious problems from either the chemical (as mentioned in this research) and/or the fact that the underlying problem will likely worsen over time even if you don’t feel it as much.

Our bodies are very complex.

You can not effect one thing without effecting other things. Some of these changes can be good and some of these changes can be bad.

Sounds reasonable, but “I have a lot of pain and I have to do something!“

Many different things can help pain beyond medications including first and foremost, Chiropractic, as well as so many lifestyle factors that can drive inflammation in your body.

Need To See Someone For Musculoskeletal Related Pain In Texarkana?

We’re here to help! Dr. Hagebusch has helped thousands of Texarkana area residents recover from injuries, get out of pain, and able to do the things that really matter to them at home, work, and play using safe, conservative chiropractic care.