Are People With Lupus At Greater Risk Of Coronary Artery Disease?

The fascinating mechanisms of our body have long been the topic of research, and while they have never been 100 percent understood, scientists and researchers were able to figure out the connections between different types of medical conditions.

What is lupus?

Lupus is a disease that causes the immune system to attack the body’s organs and tissues. It is one of the most difficult diseases to diagnose because its symptoms are strikingly similar to those of other medical conditions. In fact, one of its most specific symptoms only occurs in a number of cases and is characterized by a facial rash that’s very similar to a butterfly spreading its wings across the cheeks.

Lupus is most likely caused by a combination of a person’s genetics and the environment they live in. In other words, people with a predisposition for lupus can trigger the condition when they come in contact with specific environmental elements.

For example, sunlight can trigger lupus in some people. For others, the trigger is an infection. Medications can also lie at the base of lupus, and they can be anything from antibiotics to blood pressure meds.

Lupus and coronary artery disease

In time, as cholesterol levels are not kept under control, these fatty deposits (which are also known as “plaques”) will grow, and eventually rupture, causing a series of other problems, such as the formation of blood clots.

Whatever the case, the result is the same: the arteries become narrow and thick, which means that blood is less capable of flowing at a normal rate. When this occurs, the organs connected to those arteries fail to receive sufficient blood, nutrients, and oxygen.

Coronary arteries supply blood to your heart. When plaque forms, you develop atherosclerosis, which leads to chest pain, heart disease, and heart attacks.

People who have lupus have a greater risk of developing coronary artery disease. This happens because of the increased number of risk factors for those with lupus. Corticosteroids are a class of drugs often prescribed in the treatment of lupus. However, some of their side effects include:

• Elevated blood pressure.
• Type 2 diabetes.
• Increased cholesterol levels.

All of these increase the risk of coronary artery disease. Other lupus-related concerns can also lead to coronary artery disease, such as having joint problems or a fatigue-induced sedentary lifestyle.

More lupus-related heart problems

Lupus affects different parts of the body, and the heart is just one of them. People who suffer from lupus are more likely to die of heart disease than any other complications from it. Some of the ways in which lupus can affect the heart are:

• The myocardium is the heart’s muscle tissue. Lupus can lead to myocarditis, an inflammation of this tissue. As this happens, people start to experience irregular heartbeats and pain in the chest region. Myocarditis can be caused by fungal, bacterial, or viral infection which, in turn, can be caused by lupus. It is known that lupus can increase the risk of having an infection, particularly in people taking immunosuppressive drugs.
• Pericarditis is an inflammation of the pericardium, the sac surrounding your heart. The symptoms of pericarditis may include shortness of breath and chest pain. Pericarditis is a very common consequence of lupus acting on your heart. The good news is that it doesn’t damage the heart’s function since it doesn’t affect the heart tissue directly. However, in the longer run, pericarditis can scar the heart tissue.
• Endocarditis is a condition that affects the endocardium, the tissue that’s found on the inner walls of the heart, as well as on the valves between the heart’s chambers. Lupus can cause lesions on the endocardium, but can also thicken the heart valves. The lesions can become infected, leading to bacterial endocarditis. There is also the possibility of blood clots that travel to the brain.

Lupus treatment

Unfortunately, there is no treatment for lupus. Therapy for people who have it focuses on keeping the autoimmune response under control in an attempt to limit organ damage. Drug treatments often include anti-inflammatory medication. Lifestyle changes may also be required, particularly weight loss. People with lupus should avoid exposing themselves to the sun. Physical therapy and acupuncture are known to help as well.

Each case of lupus is different, and some people can keep it under control, while for others, it’s a life-threatening matter. What’s even more concerning is the fact that lupus does not have a strict evolution path, which means that it’s unpredictable and can manifest itself in different ways from one person to another.

Conclusion

Talk to your doctor and keep the effects of corticosteroids under control. In some cases, doctors may actually recommend stopping corticosteroid treatment and looking for more suitable alternatives.