Researchers find link between psoriasis and poor cardiovascular disease outcomes

Following a heart attack, patients with psoriasis may benefit from a prescription to buy Plavix, as a new study has found that they are significantly more likely to die from cardiovascular complications than individuals without the condition who have experienced a heart attack.

Among nearly 50,000 heart attack patients studied, the researchers reported in the Journal of Internal Medicine that those with psoriasis were 28 percent more likely to eventually die from cardiovascular disease.

The findings have important implications for treatment of heart conditions among individuals with psoriasis. The researchers said that both conditions are characterized by high levels of inflammation that produce plaque buildups. This suggests that they may have similar causes.

"The poor prognosis faced by psoriasis patients who have had a heart attack suggests the need for a more aggressive approach to secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease in this group of patients," said lead researcher Ole Ahlehoff, of the Copenhagen University Hospital Gentofte.

He added that up to 125 million people worldwide are affected by psoriasis, giving the findings some extra meaning.