The link between psoriasis and heart disease

How can a skin infection be linked to heart disease? A recent editorial consensus published in the December issue of the American Journal of Cardiology gives some recommendations which concern the possible link between psoriasis and carddiovascular health.

According to Medline Plus Medical Encyclopedia,

psoriasis is a skin disease that causes itchy or sore patches of thick, red skin with silvery scales. You usually get them on your elbows, knees, scalp, back, face, palms and feet, but they can show up on other parts of your body. A problem with your immune system causes psoriasis. In a process called cell turnover, skin cells that grow deep in your skin rise to the surface. Normally, this takes a month. In psoriasis, it happens in just days because your cells rise too fast.

Psoriasis is thought to be caused by an immune system gone wrong. T-cells, which are a type of white blood cells that attack invading microorganisms, mistakenly attack skin cells, thus leading to abnormally rapid skin cell production. It is known to run in families so there could be a genetic link somewhere. Psoriasis symptoms can and go but stress, infections, cigarette smoking, cold weather, skin dryness, and certain drugs can worsen the symptoms.

Psoriasis is said to affect 2 to 3% of people worldwide. In the US, approximately 7.5 million Americans are suffering from this skin disorder. Recent research studies show that aside from discomfort and aesthetic concerns that this skin disorder brings, recent studies indicate that patients with psoriasis may have increased risk for coronary artery disease.

Coronary artery disease occurs when the arteries that are supplying blood to the heart becomes narrow, stiff and even blocked, leading to myocardial infarction or heart attack.

The consensus recommends that patients with moderate to severe cases of psoriasis should be thoroughly screened for coronary artery disease as well as for cardiovascular risk factors. The mechanisms behind the CAD - psoriasis association are not well understood but it could have something to do with inflammation.

The consensus statement gave the following recommendations (Source: Science Daily):

• Informing patients with moderate to severe psoriasis that they are at increased risk of CAD and performing a medical evaluation to assess cardiovascular risk. For patients with milder psoriasis, evaluation is recommended if other CAD risk factors are present, such as obesity or high blood pressure.
• Prescribing treatment to reduce high cholesterol levels and other risk factors, if present.
• Paying close attention to possible interactions or adverse effects of the medications used to treat psoriasis.

Psoriasis has also been linked to other “inflammatory disorders” such as arthritis.

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A Review of Recent Research Reports on Coronary Heart Disease

By Patsy Hamilton

Much of the latest published research reports on coronary heart disease focus on treatment and the use of statin drugs to lower LDL cholesterol levels. The coronary heart disease research studies mentioned here focus primarily on causes and the need for prevention education, rather than treatment.

A number of scientific studies have focused on the relationship between heart disease and type-2 diabetes mellitus, sometimes referred to as adult onset diabetes. Uncontrolled diabetes is a risk factor for developing heart disease. One recent study focused on the survival rate of patients with diabetes mellitus, who had already suffered one heart attack.

Of the 69 patients studied, 49% had shown symptoms of coronary heart disease before their first heart attack. 67% had high blood pressure. 38% were obese. 26% were overweight. 32% were smokers. 28% had abnormal cholesterol levels. 30.4% of the patients were unaware that their blood sugar levels were unhealthy, until they were hospitalized for their heart attacks, thus they were not being treated for diabetes previously.

Within two years, 34.6% of the patients had died. 72.2% of the deaths were attributed to “cardiovascular syndromes”; myocardial infarction (heart attack), heart failure, stroke or generalized atherosclerosis (a condition in which fatty substances in the blood build up on the inner lining of the arterial walls, forming a hard plaque that can eventually block the flow of blood). These results are sad for numerous reasons. Many of these people could have lived longer healthier lives, if they had received the right information and taken action to protect their hearts.

Persons with multiple risk factors, such as obesity, high blood pressure, and unhealthy cholesterol and blood sugar levels are often said to be suffering from “metabolic syndrome”. The exact definition of metabolic syndrome varies among health organizations. Some groups use waist circumference as a defining factor, while others use body-mass index.

Recent coronary heart disease research studies conducted in China showed an “alarmingly high” rate of metabolic syndrome in the older Chinese population. Researchers at the School of Public Health in Hong Kong called for an increased need for prevention education and treatment strategies to reduce the “societal burden”. Similar studies in North America and Europe have identified similar problems.

It is clear that one of the best ways to reduce the risk of heart disease is to maintain a healthy weight. Research reports on coronary heart disease have shown again and again that good nutrition is equally important. Fasting and fad diets that cause quick weight loss, followed by rapid weight gain negatively affect metabolism and may lead to unhealthy blood sugar levels or “insulin resistance”, which is often followed by diabetes mellitus.

You are never too young or too old to focus on your overall health. It may take time to give up the old habits, but it is well worth the effort. For example, smoking causes the blood vessels and arteries to function abnormally. L-arginine, vitamin C and other anti-oxidants have been used to restore proper function, but until recently, it was unclear if quitting smoking alone would correct the dysfunction, and if so, how quickly.

In 2006, researchers at Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine in Japan saw improvement in coronary function in individuals who had not smoked for as little as one month. For many years the American Lung Association has told us that “quitting smoking now greatly reduces your risk of developing lung cancer and heart disease”. Smoking also leads to high blood pressure, another risk factor of coronary heart disease. Research studies confirming this fact are too numerous to mention.

Type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, heart disease and obesity are all related to uhealthy diets. Research reports on coronary heart disease have concluded that changes in diet and many dietary supplements may protect the heart. To learn more, visit Heart Health Diet Tips, a new website that focuses on natural prevention of heart disease.

Patsy Hamilton was a healthcare professional for over twenty years before becoming a freelance writer. Currently she is writing a series of articles about natural ways to prevent heart disease, high blood pressure and unhealthy cholesterol levels. Read more at heart-health-diet-tips.com

Article Source: EzineArticles.com/?expert=Patsy_Hamilton

               

Coronary or Ischaemic Heart Disease

By Eric Hartwell

Coronary Heart Disease is also known as atherosclerotic heart disease, coronary artery disease, and ischaemic heart disease. It comes about as the result of atheromatous plaques clogging the arteries that supply the heart’s muscle, which is known as the myocardium. The symptoms of coronary heart disease often do not reveal themselves until several decades after the fact, oftentimes in the result of a severe heart attack. After years of accumulation the plaques can rupture, and thus limit the amount of blood that flows to the heart muscle, resulting in the heart attack. Coronary heart disease is the leading cause of sudden death. For men and women of advanced age, it is the most common cause of death.

When it comes to heart disease, atherosclerotic heart disease entails a wide spectrum. At one end you have asymptomatic people whose disease is characterized by atheromatous streaks inside the walls of the coronary arteries. The streaks do not obstruct the blood flow, but rather represent the earliest stage of atherosclerotic heart disease. During this phase of the disease, a coronary angiogram may or may not show any signs that it is present. This is due to the fact that the coronary artery’s lumen has not decreased in caliber.

As the years pass, the streaks will increase, becoming thicker and thicker. First the atheromatous plaques expand into the artery walls; then they expand in to the lumen of the vessel. This affects the blood flow through the arteries. Initially, it was thought that atheromatous plaques grow via a slow process. But in recent years, it has been learned that the buildup of plaque might be complimented by small ruptures that cause a sudden increase in plaque owing to the accumulation of thrombus material.

When less than seventy percent of the vessel’s diameter is obstructed, symptoms of obstructive coronary artery disease will rarely appear. It is when over seventy percent of the vessel’s diameter is obstructed by atheromatous plaques that the person will begin developing symptoms. This stage is called ischemic heart disease. These signs start to make themselves felt during times when the heart is given an increased workload. Exertional angina and decreased exercise tolerance count among the chief symptoms.

As the disease wears on, it may result in an almost total obstruction of the coronary artery’s lumen. This limits the flow of blood carrying oxygen to the myocardium. Usually, when afflicted with this phase of the disease, individuals will have suffered from one or several heart attacks. They will also display signs of chronic coronary ischemia. These include symptoms of flash pulmonary edema and angina at rest.

We should be clear that there exists a difference between myocardial infarction and myocardial ischemia. The term “ischemia” refers to the disorder wherein the amount of oxygen that is supplied to a tissue is not sufficient for that tissue’s needs. When the myocardium is afflicted with ischemia, it is unable to function properly. When it afflicts large portions of the myocardium, the organ’s relaxation and contraction can be impaired. “Infarction” implies that the tissue has died because of a lack of oxygen rich blood.

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Article Source: EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eric_Hartwell