Stopping statin therapy increases mortality risk in rheumatoid arthritis patients

Rheumatoid arthritis patients that stop statin therapy are at an increased risk of death.

This is the finding of a study at the University of British Columbia School of Population & Public Health and Arthritis Research Centre of Canada.

Researchers identified that the end of statin therapy was associated with an increased risk of fatal cardiovascular disease and other conditions in people with rheumatoid arthritis.

Those who stopped statin therapy were found to be at a 60 per cent increased risk of cardiovascular death and a 70 per cent increased risk of death from all causes.

The findings were not affected by the time of first statin prescription, age or gender.

Consequently, investigators are calling on medical professionals to advise patients of the risks of discontinuing their statin therapy.

A World Health Organisation report has previously revealed that death rates among those with rheumatoid arthritis is 1.5-fold higher than the rest of the population.

Rheumatoid arthritis is the most common cause of severe joint inflammation in the UK.

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