Getting To The Heart Of The Rheumatoid Arthritis-Cardiovascular Disease Controversy

I din not know that Stroke was suck a risk. I am now realy worried cause I have on three occsions over a two month period, had the left side of my face and left side of the body cease and twich for a 30 to 60 sec. period of time in which I also experienced loss of vision and control of limbs. I have since stopped my Birth Control and smoking cigaretts and have not had recourance in 8 months. I have seen a neurologist, and he tested for seizure disorder, MS, and stroke but saw no evidence of the contrary. Showld I be worried?

This is a subject that became of primary importace for me when I had my first heart attack at age 50.  I've had RA for 22 years, and my c-reactive protein level is pretty darn high.  Does that mean I have another heart attack to look forward to in the near future?  I think a study is long overdue of the correlation of high inflammation levels in RA patients to cardiovasculae disease.  I've also heard that the drug Remicaid has shown a higher incidence of heart-related deaths, is that true?  I was taking Remicaid at the time of my first MI.