New research reveals that depressive symptoms, stress, anxiety, and anger and lack of social support in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) were linked to atherosclerosis - a build-up of fatty deposits in the arteries that contributes to cardiovascular disease. The study published in Arthritis Care & Research, a journal of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR), suggests that screening and treatment of psychosocial symptoms may curb the cardiovascular disease burden in RA patients.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that 1.5 million Americans are burdened by RA - an autoimmune disease that causes fatigue along with joint pain, swelling, and stiffness.
