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joint replacement cardiovascular side effects

Joint Replacement May Help Your Heart

Replacing damaged joints gives people with arthritis a dramatically improved quality of life – with reduction or even elimination of pain and improved mobility. A new joint can give you a new lease on life, allowing you to resume activities you love and improve your mood and relationships. But like anything in life, there are risks and benefits. A group of studies about the effects of joint replacement on your heart demonstrate those risks and benefits.

Studies published in recent years,  suggested that certain people are at increased risk of heart trouble following joint surgery. For example, a study in Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases in 2011 found an increased risk for cardiac complications following joint replacement surgery in older patients and in those who had pre-existing heart disease, deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism. And a 2012 study published in Archives of Internal Medicine found that hip and knee replacement surgery boosts the risk of heart attack  during the first two weeks after surgery, particularly in patients older than 60.

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