Dermatologic conditions as risk factors for cardiovascular disease

Skin diseases (SDs) represent a heterogeneous group of conditions with an overall high prevalence and significant impact on the quality of life of patients. They are also associated with a heavy economic burden for public health systems Abundant evidence indicates some SDs significantly increase the overall incidence of major cardiovascular events, in particular acute myocardial infarction. This is particularly true for conditions whose pathophysiology features chronic inflammation, like psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, hidradenitis suppurativa and systemic lupus erythematosus. These SDs may increase cardiovascular risk (CVR) directly by enhancing, precipitating and perpetuating chronic inflammation; and also indirectly, by way of their association with other CVR factors such as obesity, dyslipidemia, hypertension, hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia and diabetes. This review aims to analyze the available evidence regarding SDs and their impact on CVR.