When you think about psoriasis, you probably imagine the visible symptoms of the condition—red, scaly patches on the skin that often cause discomfort and self-consciousness.
However, there’s more to psoriasis than meets the eye. Beneath the surface, those who have this common skin condition face a heightened risk of developing heart disease.
Psoriasis is an autoimmune disorder, which means it occurs when the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks healthy cells. For those with psoriasis, the immune system targets the skin, leading to a rapid buildup of skin cells that create those well-known scaly patches.
But this autoimmune response impacts more than just the skin. It’s associated with increased risks of serious health issues, including heart disease.
Researchers have found a significant connection between psoriasis and an elevated risk of heart conditions such as coronary artery disease, heart attacks, and strokes. This link is primarily due to the chronic inflammation caused by psoriasis.
Normally, inflammation is a protective response by the body to injury or infection, but in chronic conditions like psoriasis, this inflammation can become a harmful, ongoing process.
The continuous inflammatory state not only affects the skin but also extends to other vital areas, including the heart and blood vessels.
This means that the inflammation observed in the skin of psoriasis patients may also indicate inflammation in critical regions related to heart health.
Studies underscore the seriousness of this connection. For example, a major study showed that individuals with severe psoriasis are at up to a 58% increased risk of experiencing a major cardiac event and a 43% increased risk of having a stroke compared to those without psoriasis.
Notably, this increased risk is not confined to older adults; even younger people with severe psoriasis are significantly more likely to face these heart health challenges.
Moreover, the inflammation linked to psoriasis can aggravate other heart disease risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, and obesity. Additionally, people with psoriasis are more likely to suffer from diabetes, another key risk factor for heart disease.
Given these risks, it’s crucial for anyone with psoriasis to be aware of their increased potential for heart disease. Effective management of psoriasis through anti-inflammatory treatments not only helps with skin symptoms but may also reduce heart disease risks.
Living a heart-healthy lifestyle is particularly important for people with psoriasis. This includes eating a balanced diet, engaging in regular physical activity, quitting smoking, and managing stress—actions that are beneficial for everyone, but especially vital for those dealing with psoriasis.
The relationship between psoriasis and heart disease serves as a critical reminder of the importance of looking beyond the skin. Psoriasis isn’t just a skin disorder; it’s a systemic condition that can significantly affect overall health, including heart health.
Recognizing that psoriasis has implications that extend far beyond the skin highlights the need for comprehensive care and preventive strategies to protect both skin and heart health.
By addressing both psoriasis and the associated risk of heart disease, individuals with psoriasis can take significant steps towards enhancing their health and quality of life.
If you care about high blood pressure, please read studies that early time-restricted eating could help improve blood pressure, and natural coconut sugar could help reduce blood pressure and artery stiffness.
For more information about blood pressure, please see recent studies about added sugar in your diet linked to higher blood pressure, and results showing vitamin D could improve blood pressure in people with diabetes.
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