Psoriasis and Your Heart

Psoriasis is a risk factor for heart attack, greatest in younger patients with severe psoriasis, according to a study at University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.

Psoriasis is a common, chronic immune disease that affects about two to three per cent of the population. The study found that a 40-year-old patient with severe psoriasis had more than double the risk for heart attack, while a 60-year-old patient with severe psoriasis had a 36 per cent increased risk. More studies are planned. Meanwhile the authors recommend that patients with psoriasis be encouraged to aggressively address such cardiovascular risk factors as obesity and smoking.