Perioperative management of rheumatoid arthritis: Areas of concern for primary care physicians

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis who are undergoing joint replacement or other operations face potential complications from many aspects of the disease and the drugs used to manage it. Minimizing these added risks is important to ensure the best possible outcome. This article presents a comprehensive approach for primary care physicians involved in the preoperative evaluation and perioperative management of their arthritic patients.