COMPLICATIONS OF RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS AND MEASURES TO REDUCE IT

Abstract

According to current data, 18 million people worldwide suffer from rheumatoid arthritis (RA), which accounts for approximately 0.5–1.0 percent of the world's population. Approximately 70% of patients are women and 55% are people over 55 years of age. It is a systemic process that affects not only the joints, but also various internal organs. In recent years, it has been found that the life expectancy of patients with rheumatoid arthritis decreases by 7-10 years and the risk of developing cardiovascular pathologies increases by 50%. Rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic autoimmune disease, but often affects the arms, wrists, legs, ankles, knees, shoulder and elbow joints. RA is a chronic disease that causes an inflammatory process in the body, mainly in the joints. If left untreated, RA can cause serious damage to joints and surrounding tissues. The disease can cause disorders of the heart, lungs or nervous system.