Clinical and psychological portrait of elderly patients with psoriasis and ischemic heart disease

Psoriasis is associated with a number of diseases, one of which is cardiovascular pathology, in particular ischemic heart disease (IHD). Data on the features of psoriasis course in elderly patients with IHD are insufficient. Objective. To determine the clinical and psychological characteristics of elderly patients with psoriasis and IHD, as well as to compare the obtained data with those of patients suffering from IHD. Material and methods. The study included 77 persons, including 17 patients with psoriasis and IHD (9 men and 8 women, age 72 (65; 76) years) and 60 patients with IHD (30 men and 30 women, age 73 (67; 80) years). Results. In this study, 94.1% of patients with psoriasis and IHD had a mild course of psoriasis vulgaris (PASI<10). In the evaluation of carbohydrate, lipid metabolism and liver function, patients with psoriasis showed greater increase in levels of ALT, AST, LDL, triglycerides and glycated hemoglobin compared to patients with IHD without psoriasis. The type of attitude to hazard evaluation revealed that there was a predominant ignoring type with reduced sensitivity in the group of patients with IHD (36.7% of patients), anxious and sensitive — in the group of patients with psoriasis and IHD (64.7%). Conclusion. Most patients with psoriasis and IHD have anxious and sensitive type of attitude to the hazard, therefore it is important to inform them about their health status in order to understand the treatment process. These patients also have more severe impairments of carbohydrate, lipid metabolism and liver function than patients with IHD. In this connection, attending doctor should not only regularly monitor ALT, AST, LDL, triglycerides and glycated hemoglobin levels, but also choose a strategy for interaction with the patient considering their psychological features and tendency to anxiety perception of the disease.