INCREASED CLINICAL AND FINANCIAL BURDEN OF HEART FAILURE HOSPITALIZATIONS IN PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS: INSIGHTS FROM THE NATIONAL INPATIENT SAMPLE

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is associated with higher incidence of systolic and diastolic heart failure (HF) from both ischemic and non-ischemic etiologies independent of traditional CV risk factors. Although HF is an important contributor to the excess mortality in RA, the burden of acute