Healthy Joints, Healthy Heart

Risk

• OA patients have 24% increased risk of CVD

• OA patients have 5 x risks of metabolic syndrome

Pathology

• Vascular damage is linked to joint damage.

• Joints are avascular

• Blood flow to subchondral bone is compromised leading to ischaemia, affecting articular cartilage

Obesity

• 10% weight loss = modest effect on pain

• Similar to paracetamolol

• 36% of knee replacements could be avoided if overweight and obesity were prevented

• 20% could be avoided if overweight or obese people would move down one category of BMI