CryptoChick, you should and other RA patients should be aware of the following: Search Results Featured snippet from the web site https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC34... "Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is associated with an increased risk of premature mortality, predominantly due to increased cardiovascular disease (CVD). ... With earlier treatment of RA and earlier use of methotrexate it is possible that we may have the capability to radically change patients' long-term CVD risk."
So Methotrexate (MTX) treatment can help you //avoid// CVD damage... MTX does NOT cause the CVD, RA does. Of course all medications can cause side effects, some deadly. It is always a trade-off. IMHO, (and that of experts) NOT treating RA is worse than many treatments including MTX and MTX is still considered a gold standard in the treatment of RA. Just sayin'.

Further question that I asked my Cardiologist yesterday: What can one do to prevent / reduce / slow down the process of calcification so as not have to go through the same process again of having to repeat heart surgery in years to come? His answer was "nothing". As surgery has been done now, for future they could maybe just insert Stents.

I am an engineer by profession, so look at logical solutions for problems. My thinking therefore goes along the lines - what should I do more of or less of? What medication should I take more of or less of? What "Other" should I take / do more of or less of to maintain my body and reduce risk of having heart issues in future. I know each persons body is unique, but there should be certain principles that one could call generic and also certain principles will be more person specific.

What are your thoughts?

Many thanks

To my understanding from discussing with the Cardiologist, Rheumatologist and Thoracic surgeon, the RA causes excess calcium in the body which is why the joints can swell and this excess calcium was the cause of the calcification of the heart arteries. The side effects of the Methotrexate causes degeneration of bone density resulting in Osteoporosis as I mentioned in my original article.

Just so you know RA can affect your heart. It can also affect your lungs. It affected my lungs almost 4 years ago. I have shortness of breath. I have never smoked. Are you sure it was the drugs that effected your heart or the RA itself. Any area we have connective tissue can be affected by RA.

I've been having trouble breathing for awhile. I can be just sitting down and I started having shortness of breath. So yesterday I was told that the test that I had shows I have asthma. It's so much that we go through. I was first diagnosed with Shogren 1st primary, then fibromyalgia, then RA theres no cure for either of these and they all messed with your lungs, and heart.