​​What You Should Know About Psoriasis and Heart Health

Like most chronic conditions, psoriasis often goes hand in hand with at least one comorbidity. A comorbidity is a disease that a person experiences at the same time as another one, and there are a few different comorbidities associated with psoriasis, including heart disease.

“Studies have demonstrated that people with psoriasis have a very significant increase in heart disease risk,” says Arash Bereliani, M.D., a board-certified cardiologist in Beverly Hills, California.

This increased risk is particularly concerning for people who have severe psoriasis. “They are 54% more likely to suffer a stroke, 21% more likely to have a heart attack, and 53% more likely to die over a 10-year period than people without the skin disorder,” Bereliani says. He adds that they’re also more likely to need surgical cardiovascular procedures like angioplasty, which opens clogged arteries.