The Relationship between Rheumatoid Arthritis
and Heart Failure

A continuing medical education activity sponsored by NAMCP and AAMCN
This activity is valid from November 25, 2009 to November 1, 2010.

 

Audience: This activity is intended for healthcare professionals practicing in managed care environments.

This activity is supported by an educational grant from Roche


PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ ARTICLE


PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR POST TEST AND EVALUATION

Instructions for CME/CEU: Read the article, answer the post test, complete the evaluation form and submit to keads@namcp.org. A score of 70% must be achieved on the post test to received continuing education credits. You will have the option on the post test/evaluation page to submit your forms electronically or by faxing them to Katie Eads at 804-747-5316. If you participated and received credit for any of the webinars, you are not eligible for credit on this activity.

Summary
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic systemic inflammatory disease affecting approximately 1% of the adult general population. Cardiovascular disease is recognized as the leading cause of death in RA patients, accounting for nearly 50 percent of their mortality. Patients with RA are at an increased risk for myocardial infarction, stroke, and heart failure. Some medications for RA may also worsen or precipitate heart failure. Optimal management of the RA patient requires attention to not only management of RA but also prevention of cardiovascular disease.

Objectives
  • Identify the current treatment options available for rheumatoid arthritis patients.

  • Identify the cardiovascular diseases that patients with rheumatoid arthritis are at higher risk for than the general population.

  • Discuss the contributors to cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality found in patients with rheumatoid arthritis
  • Describe the variations in clinical presentation of heart failure between patients with RA and those without the disease.
Faculty: Geneva Briggs, PharmD, President, Briggs & Associates
   

Disclosure:

Dr. Briggs has no financial relationships that present a real or perceived conflict of interest
  The NAMCP planning committee has no real or perceived financial relationships to disclose.

Accreditation & Designation
The National Association of Managed Care Physicians (NAMCP) is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to sponsor continuing medical education for physicians. NAMCP designates this activity for a maximum of 1 AMA PRA Category I creditsTM. Each physician should claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

The American Association of Managed Care Nurses (AAMCN) has been approved as a provider of continuing education by the Virginia Nurses Association (VNA). VNA is accredited as an approver of continuing education in nursing by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. Nurses who complete this activity will be awarded 1.0 contact hours.

This activity has been approved by the American Board of Managed Care Nursing for 1.0 contact hours toward CMCN recertification requirements.

  

This activity is supported by an educational grant from Roche