New research: Autoimmune heart patients are at risk of fatal complications

After a heart attack, people with autoimmune diseases are more likely to die, have a second heart attack, develop heart failure or have another dangerous complication, compared to those without the disease, according to a new US scientific study.

The researchers, led by assistant professor Amgad Mendias of the Cleveland College of Medicine, who published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, analyzed data on about 1.65 million people over the age of 65 who had admitted to hospital between 2014-19, due to a heart attack. Of these, 60,072 (3.6%) had some inflammatory autoimmune disease, with rheumatoid arthritis being the most common.

The study found that people with autoimmune disease who had already had a heart attack were 15% more likely to die from any cause afterwards, 12% more likely to be hospitalized for heart failure and 8% more likely to have another heart attack.

Autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus and psoriasis are known to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. People with an autoimmune condition have more traditional cardiovascular risk factors such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and kidney disease, in addition to chronic inflammation, autoimmune antibodies, and long-term use of steroid medications, which also increase cardiovascular risk.

See here the scientific publication:

RES-EMP

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