Patients with psoriasis are at increased risk for vascular disease

Summary: People with psoriasis are at increased risk for vascular disease. They require more aggressive screening and treatment.A study published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine alerts us to pay special attention to vascular risk factors for those with psoriasis.The authors note:

"Psoriasis afflicts 2-3% of the world's population. Affected patients commonly have risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD). In addition, psoriasis is independently associated with CVD and mortality."

They set out to...

"...determine which CVD risk factors are associated with psoriasis independent of confounders, whether psoriasis is associated with CVD independent of CVD risk factors, and whether there is increased mortality among patients with psoriasis."

90 studies out of 2,303 met the inclusion criteria for the authors' review. The data led to this conclusion:

"Patients with psoriasis demonstrate a higher prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors and appear to be at increased risk for ischemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, and peripheral arterial disease. This increase in vascular disease may be independent of shared risk factors and may contribute to the increase in all-cause mortality....Physicians should screen for and aggressively treat modifiable risk factors for CVD in patients with psoriasis."

These findings are not surprising considering the fundamental role of inflammation and autoimmune component of cardiovascular disease. Searching earlier posts for cardiovascular disease (search box above) will yield further evidence on this topic.