People with a common inflammatory condition are at an increased risk of suffering a stroke or heart attack, a new study has found.

Polymyalgia rheumatica is an inflammatory condition that affects the muscles, usually around the shoulders, upper arms, buttocks and thighs. One of the most common symptoms is severe and painful stiffness in the morning.

The cause is unknown and the condition often starts very suddenly. It most commonly occurs in older people.

US researchers looked at over 3,200 patients with the condition and compared them to more than 12,000 people not affected. They wanted to see if there was any link between polymyalgia rheumatica and the risk of suffering a vascular event.

The participants were monitored for up to 12 years.

They found that the overall risk of suffering a vascular event, such as a stroke, heart attack or angina, was 2.5 times higher among those with the inflammatory condition.

The risk was greatest during the first six to 12 months after the polymyalgia rheumatica diagnosis. During this time, those aged 50-59 had a five-fold increased risk of suffering a vascular event, while those over 80 had a three-fold increased risk.

"Our findings suggest an increased risk of vascular events in patients with polymyalgia rheumatica independent of other traditional risk factors for vascular disease. Aggressive management of vascular risk factors should be considered in patients with polymyalgia rheumatica to try to attenuate this excess risk," the researchers from the University of Keele said.

Details of these findings are published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.