Joint surgery can improve heart health of people with osteoarthritis

Hip and knee replacement surgery could better the cardiovascular health of people with osteoarthritis, says research published in the British Medical Journal.

A Canadian research team found that joint replacements may be associated with reduced risk of heart disease for people with severe osteoarthritis.

Over 150 people with moderate to severe osteoarthritis who had undergone a knee or hip replacement were compared to a matched control group who had not had surgery.

The participants were tracked for seven years.

Those who had the surgery were 40% less likely to have a cardiovascular event, such as a heart attack, stroke, heart failure, coronary artery bypass surgery or angioplasty.

“Debilitating arthritis limits the ability to exercise, which in turn leads to worse outcomes for the heart,” says lead author Dr Bheeshma Ravi. “Joint replacement can help protect patients from pain, inflammation and even depression, all risk factors for cardiac events.”