Knowledge and Perception of Cardiovascular Disease Risks among Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis

Abstract

Introduction: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disorder that has an approximate prevalence of 1% of the population, characterized by inflammation of the joints and the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. In addition, RA patients carry a negative prognosis of 5-10 years, longer than the general population because of the increased incidence of coronary artery disease, heart attacks, and strokes. Although CVD has been established as a complication of RA, patient awareness of such cardiovascular risks remains inadequate. The objective of this study is to review the literature on the awareness, knowledge, and attitudes towards CVD risk of rheumatoid arthritis patients. Methodology: A cross-sectional study spanning over six months was carried out with the 167 RA patients, mainly housewives, in the study. The participants were drawn from four rheumatology clinics in Karachi, and a structured questionnaire covering demographic details and characteristics, RA duration, treatment status, and CVD risk assessment for the patients surveyed. Clinical records were included, and the data was analyzed by SPSS version 29.0. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests examined relationships of awareness and perception against key variables. Result: Most (82%) of the respondents were housewives and 95% were on RA treatment. The relationship between the duration of rheumatoid arthritis and the belief of weight management as a preventive measure of heart-related diseases was strong (p-value = 0.04). On the whole, differences in knowledge and attitudes toward the risks of CVD were noted. Conclusion: The study illustrates the lack of cardiovascular risk awareness in RA patients and emphasizes the need to perform better patient education in order to minimize cardiovascular complications in this high-risk group

Keywords: Knowledge, Perception, Cardiovascular Disease, Rheumatoid Arthritis