Severe Psoriasis May Increase Heart Attack Risk

Severe forms of psoriasis (a skin condition characterized by red, patchy, raised or scaly areas) may be associated with an increased risk of heart attack, according to a new study which appears in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Researchers analyzed the medical records of 680,000 British patients (age range 20-90 years old) and concluded that patients with severe cases of psoriasis had an increased risk of heart attack compared to patients without psoriasis. Mild psoriasis also showed an increased risk for heart attack but less than for severe psoriasis. The factor which connects psoriasis and heart attack risk is most likely inflammation, according to researchers.

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Psoriatic arthritis is a type of arthritis associated with psoriasis. In 85 percent of patients with psoriatic arthritis, symptoms of psoriasis precede arthritis symptoms. Arthritis develops before psoriasis in up to 15 percent of patients. The concern about increased heart attack risk is focused on severe psoriasis, which is relatively uncommon. The risk associated with mild psoriasis was considered minor by researchers.

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