Can Psoriasis Affect Your Heart

Get The Support You Need

If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis, its time to get the support you need.

MyPsoriasisTeamis a social network designed for people living with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. Here, more than 91,000 people from across the world come together to ask questions, share advice, and connect with others who understand life with psoriatic disease.

How does psoriatic arthritis affect your life? Have you found ways to manage the symptoms? Share your tips and experiences in a comment below or by posting on MyPsoriasisTeam. You’ll be surprised how many other members have similar stories.

Treating Psoriasis Inflammation Can Reduce Cardiovascular Risks

View Issue Disclosures: We were unable to process your request. Please try again later. If you continue to have this issue please contact .

The association between psoriatic disease and cardiovascular disease has been known for the past decade, but new research aims to determine if long-term psoriasis treatment affects heart health.

Inflammation has long been associated with the development of atherosclerosis … and psoriasis itself is a chronic inflammatory disease, said Nehal N. Mehta, MD, MSCE, FAHA, of the NIH. What we have found over 10 years of work is that when one has psoriasis in the severe form, which means more than 10% of their body is covered, there is approximately a 50% to 60% increased risk of first heart attack and stroke and that which occurs between 40 and 50 years of age.

Patients with mild-to-moderate psoriasis have also shown related complications due to inflammation such as joint disease, diabetes, heart disease and depression.

While originally believed to be solely a skin issue, psoriatic disease is now known to affect multiple systems in the body including the joints, the brain and the heart.

We first coined the phrase psoriasis is more than skin deep 12 years ago because there is a lot more going on beyond what you are seeing on the skin, Mehta said.

Treating psoriasis to prevent cardiovascular disease

Studies outside of psoriasis, however, have shown that controlling inflammation can lower cardiovascular risk.

A net benefit

References:

How Does Psoriasis Affect Your Overall Health

• print page
• Bookmark for later

Psoriasis is a chronic health condition that can have significant long-term health impact that goes beyond the most visible symptoms on the skin. Because psoriasis is an autoimmune disease, people living with psoriasis are prone to a number of other complications and other health conditions .

Recommended Reading: Best Dermatologist In Houston For Psoriasis

Whats The Link Between Psoriasis And Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Psoriasis is considered an autoimmune disease. This means your immune system attacks your healthy skin cells by mistake, triggering your body to make new skin cells at a rapid rate. This often manifests itself as dry, red plaques of skin covered with silver scales, but can also appear in other ways, such as small tear-shaped spots or even changes in your nails.

Inflammatory bowel disease is an umbrella term for two autoimmune diseases that affect your gut. With IBD, your immune system is incorrectly triggered, causing inflammation in your digestive tract. The two conditions that fall under the IBD umbrella are ulcerative colitis, which affects your large intestine and rectum, and Crohns disease, which can affect any part of your digestive tract. Symptoms include:

• Diarrhea

• Bloody stool

• Weight loss

Recent studies have demonstrated that having psoriasis places you at about twice the risk of developing IBD as compared to someone without psoriasis. Researchers have noted similar cells and proteins are involved in your bodys inflammatory response with both psoriasis and IBD. Its also thought your genes, changes in the bacteria of your gut, and environmental triggers may also make you more likely to develop these conditions.

The Link Between Psoriatic Arthritis And Kidney Disease

• Serum creatinine levels in the blood, a waste product of muscular activity
• Urea, a waste product produced by your liver from the digestion of protein
• Phosphate, an electrolyte

Normally, the kidneys filter out these substances from the blood to maintain levels within a healthy range.

When the kidneys don’t function properly, serum creatinine, urea, and phosphate will stay in the blood and cause higher-than-normal levels, which indicate kidney disease or malfunctioning. Elevated levels of protein in the blood are also commonly seen when the kidneys are not functioning properly.

The level of serum creatinine in your blood as well as your age, gender, and race all factor in to your glomerular filtration rate, which is another marker of healthy kidney functioning. If serum creatinine levels are elevated, your glomerular filtration rate will be lower since the kidneys are not effectively filtering out creatinine from the blood.

A 2017 epidemiological study examined markers of kidney function among patients with psoriatic arthritis, patients with psoriasis, and healthy control subjects. This study revealed that levels of serum creatinine, urea, and phosphate were all elevated in patients with psoriasis compared to healthy subjects, but levels were highest among the patients with psoriatic arthritis.

Also Check: How To Cure Psoriasis Arthritis Naturally

What Organs Are Affected By Psoriasis

While any part of your body can be affected, psoriasis plaques most often develop on the elbows, knees, scalp, back, face, palms, and feet. Like other autoinflammatory diseases, psoriasis occurs when your immune system which normally attacks infectious germs begins to attack healthy cells instead.

That’s Likely Because Of The Increased Inflammation That Comes With Psoriasis

Psoriasis causes your immune system to overreact and triggers inflammation in your body, according to Healthline. Unfortunately, this inflammation is what can affect your heart.

“Chronic inflammation has long been associated with an increased risk of heart attack and stroke,” Kevin R. Campbell, MD, an internist and cardiologist with Cano Health, told Everyday Health. According to Campbell, inflammation can damage the arteries, which results in blockages or plaque buildup inside the blood vessels that supply blood to the heart. And when the flow of blood to your heart is slowed or interrupted, it heightens your risk of heart attack.

And for more up-to-date health news delivered right to your inbox, .

Recommended Reading: Does Psoriasis Go Away And Come Back

Inflammation In Psoriatic Arthritis And Heart Disease

Inflammation raises a persons risk of developing heart disease. Heart disease, in particular, involves inflammation in the endothelium the innermost layer of cells in a blood vessel.

Endothelial dysfunction is an early indicator of atherosclerosis a disease in which the arteries thicken and become stiff, which can lead to coronary artery disease. When the endothelial cells are not functioning properly, fats, cholesterol, and other substances can build up inside the arteries. This buildup indicates a diagnosis of atherosclerosis. Over time, plaque can slow down blood flow, block arteries, or even cause arteries to burst.

Because psoriatic arthritis is an inflammatory arthritis, most medical specialists believe that it triggers inflammation in the endothelium. This inflammation can, in turn, bring on atherosclerosis and result in heart disease.

Being diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis seems to be a risk factor for developing heart disease. Beyond that, men who are over 55 years old and who have been diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis for a long time are more likely to develop plaques associated with heart problems.

Psoriasis And Celiac Disease

When you have celiac disease, you can’t digest gluten, a protein in wheat, rye, and barley. Celiac disease can damage your small intestine and prevent it from absorbing key nutrients.

The chance of getting celiac disease is nearly 3 times higher among people with psoriasis. About 4 of every 100 have it. Research shows that the higher the levels of specific antibodies related to celiac disease, the worse psoriasis tends to be.

You May Like: Best Natural Cream For Psoriasis

Does Treatment Affect Risk

Often, psoriasis treatments are relegated to being elective or cosmetic, but another important consideration is whether psoriasis treatments decrease CV disease risk. So far, studies have shown mixed results. Some preliminary data found that treatments like methotrexate and etanercept, a biologic tumor necrosis factor -alpha inhibitor, protected the heart, but other treatments may increase the burden of CV disease.

âThis is an emerging area with incomplete data, and many studies assess surrogate measures of CV events rather than actual events,â Dr. Schwartz notes. âThis is because many biological therapies for psoriasis are relatively new, with the exception of disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs and TNF inhibitors, and extremely long-term follow-up of 10 to 20 years is often required for assessment of CV events. With these caveats, treatment with anti-inflammatory therapies does appear to reduce the risk of vascular inflammation and major CV events in patients with psoriasis. However, the type of therapy matters. For example, biological therapies and DMARDs appear to improve outcomes, whereas corticosteroids and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs worsen outcomes.â

Further inquiry is warranted into psoriasis treatments and heart health because if there are benefits, it would reinforce that psoriasis treatment â like psoriasis â is more than skin deep. This would also likely contribute to a greater prevalence of individuals getting treatment.

What Is Psoriatic Arthritis

Psoriatic arthritis is an inflammatory type of arthritis that develops in some people with psoriasis, an autoimmune disease that causes itchy, scaly plaques on the skin. Psoriasis affects 74 million adults in the United States, and 30% of patients diagnosed with psoriasis will develop psoriatic arthritis.

PsA causes inflammation in many joints of the body as a result of the body producing autoantibodies that attack healthy joints by mistake. This results in joint pain, inflammation, and stiffness, in addition to symptoms of the skin for some.

Recommended Reading: What Helps Psoriasis On Face

How Can Psoriasis Affect The Heart

Since psoriasis is an inflammatory disease, over time the inflammation inside your body can cause damage to your blood vessels and your organs, like your heart. As the damage progresses, your risk for cardiovascular disease and increases. Statistics show that people with psoriasis have three times the risk of having a heart attack than people who dont have psoriasis, and the more severe the psoriasis, the higher the risk.

People with psoriasis are also prone to developing some other illnesses, which are risks themselves for , such as:

• Obesity

Can Psoriasis Affect The Brain

With psoriasis, your immune cells release substances called cytokines. These make skin cells grow out of control and form scaly plaques. They also change levels of chemicals in your brain that affect your mood. A cytokine called TNF-alpha may affect brain chemicals like serotonin in a way that could lead to depression.

Also Check: What Is Used To Treat Psoriasis

Health Conditions Linked To Psoriatic Arthritis

It is important to visit your primary care provider regularly to screen for these diseases because you may not notice or feel symptoms for some of these health conditions. In addition, if some of these conditions are caught early, they can be easily treated with lifestyle changes or medications.

Evidence shows that people who effectively treat PsA can also lower the risk of other comorbidities.

In 2019, the National Psoriasis Foundation and American Academy of Dermatology published guidelines on the treatment of psoriasis with attention to comorbidities. The guidelines state the following health conditions as comorbidities of PsA. People living with PsA are at risk for the same comorbidities as psoriasis.

Painful Joints And Weakened Bones

For about a third of people with psoriasis, the immune system also attacks the joints. This triggers inflammation and swollen, painful joints. This condition is called psoriatic arthritis.

Psoriatic arthritis often appears 10 years after psoriasis develops. It can affect different parts of your body, such as your fingers, toes, and spine.

Other symptoms of psoriatic arthritis include:

• Fatigue
• Stiff, tender, swollen, and throbbing joints or tendons
• Reduced range of motion

Although theres no cure, a doctor can prescribe treatments to ease the pain and prevent permanent damage to your joints.

Along with harming joints, psoriasis can also weaken bones. Research shows that people with psoriasis are three times as likely to have bone loss, called osteopenia, and the bone disease osteoporosis. It also raises your risk of breaking a bone.

Thats because chronic inflammation can take a toll on your skeleton. People with psoriasis also tend to have low levels of bone-building vitamin D. Whats more, steroids — a common treatment for psoriasis — can weaken bones over time.

Psoriasis raises your odds of getting osteoporosis by 30%

These two conditions often overlap, but you can get one without having the other.

30% of people with psoriasis will also get psoriatic arthritis.

Recommended Reading: Difference Between Psoriasis And Dermatitis

Ways To Prevent Damage To Your Kidneys

To help keep your kidneys healthy, proper management of any underlying conditions decreases your risk of developing kidney disease.

Healthy lifestyle habits can also help you manage these conditions and reduce inflammation throughout the body to prevent kidney damage. Healthy lifestyle habits include:

• Getting enough sleep at night, at least seven to eight hours
• Eating a healthy diet and maintaining a healthy weight
• Quitting smoking
• Maintaining a positive attitude and learning how to cope with and manage stress
• Exercising regularly and staying active

Psoriasis Treatment May Reduce Risky Plaque In Heart Arteries

People with psoriasis who were given an anti-inflammatory treatment saw a decrease in levels of high-risk plaque in their heart arteries over the course of a year, new research says.

Chronic inflammation in people with psoriasis is associated with a higher risk of developing coronary artery disease, which can lead to a heart attack or stroke. Patients in the study were given biologic therapy protein-based infusions to suppress inflammation.

“This is the first time an imaging study in humans has shown what one year of ongoing, untreated inflammation can do to arteries of the heart and that we can reverse this damage,” the study’s senior author, Dr. Nehal N. Mehta, said in a news release.

Previous research has linked psoriasis and the development of a dangerous type of plaque made up of dead cells and cell debris that is prone to rupture.

Having such plaque increases the risk of heart attack fivefold within 10 years, said Mehta, who is Lasker Senior Investigator and chief of the Lab of Inflammation and Cardiometabolic Diseases at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland.

“We have never before been able to show healing of an inflamed plaque like this in humans,” he said.

The study has implications for people with psoriasis and possibly those with other chronic inflammatory conditions such as HIV, lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, who also have an increased risk of heart disease.

Recommended Reading: Is Argan Oil Good For Psoriasis

What You Can Change

• Men and women should not drink more than 14 units a week on a regular basis
• Spread your drinking over 3 or more days if you regularly drink 14 units a week
• If you want to cut down, try to have several drink-free days each week

14 units is equivalent to 6 pints of average-strength beer or 10 small glasses of low-strength wine.

The following table will show you how many units are in different alcoholic drinks.

Remember: for certain medications you will be advised to avoid alcohol , so do make sure your healthcare provider is aware of your alcohol consumption.Stress: Stress can increase your risk of heart disease, and it may also encourage your psoriasis to flare. It is important to learn how to reduce your stress in a healthy way rather than resorting to unhealthy strategies such as smoking, drinking and overeating. Exercise, yoga and relaxation techniques can be effective. Healthy stress release, such as listening to music, meeting with friends or pursuing a hobby is really good too. You may also wish to talk to your doctor about counselling or medication.

Increased Risk Of Gout/high Uric Acid Levels

There is also a clear link between cardiovascular disease and gout, another type of arthritis. Gout causes an excessive amount of uric acid build up in your blood, which causes inflammation and joint pain. At the 2019 American College of Rheumatology annual meeting, researchers revealed that people with PsA have a prevalence of hyperuricemia that is three times greater than those without the condition. This prolonged exposure to high levels of uric acid in the blood can interfere with endothelial dysfunction as well as structural changes in the heart , which is associated with congestive heart failure.

Read Also: Best Prescription Medication For Scalp Psoriasis

Living With An Autoimmune Disease

People with an autoimmune disease can have a complex set of symptoms that complicate both diagnosis and treatment options. Autoimmune disease can also mean people will have periods when symptoms get significantly worse, or flare-ups, and periods of remission, when symptoms significantly lessen or seem to disappear. While treatment options depend on the disease, one of the most important treatment goals is to target the specific inflammatory pathway believed to be most important to the disease symptoms and severity.

Recently new treatment options for psoriasis have been developed that target specific parts of the immune system known as inflammatory pathways. These medications are called biologics and can be an important part of a treatment plan for people with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis.

How Bad Can Psoriasis Get

The skin condition can also range from mild to severe. Its possible for your psoriasis to become more or less severe over time. Psoriasis can also look and feel different depending on its location. It may seem as though your psoriasis is spreading to other parts of your body if it becomes more severe.

Also Check: Severe Psoriasis And Psoriatic Arthritis