Emerging data reveal that patients with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis face a significantly elevated cardiovascular risk, including a 70% increased risk of myocardial infarction and a 56% increased risk of stroke. Despite these risks, screening remains underutilized without interdisciplinary collaboration to bridge care gaps.
Dermatologists and rheumatologists, who often serve as the first point of contact for psoriatic disease flares, now carry a pivotal role in cardiovascular risk detection. Cardiovascular risk screening is crucial for patients with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, as highlighted in the American Academy of Dermatology and National Psoriasis Foundation's joint guidelines. These recommendations advocate for annual evaluation of blood pressure, lipid profiles, glycemic control, and smoking status starting at diagnosis, aiming to unmask subclinical comorbidities before they progress.
Complementing this, the American College of Rheumatology's guidelines emphasize the need for integrated cardiovascular care, urging clinicians to incorporate lipid panels and inflammatory marker monitoring into every visit and to initiate risk discussions when escalating therapy. The American College of Rheumatology's heart health–focused psoriatic arthritis guidelines recommend that lifestyle counseling on weight management, smoking cessation, and graded exercise become as routine as joint counts or skin assessments.
Lifestyle counseling is not merely advisory; weight optimization and physical activity can attenuate systemic inflammation and slow atherosclerotic progression, making these interventions a cornerstone of cardiovascular risk mitigation alongside pharmacologic strategies.
Even with clear protocols, optimal implementation demands a team-based healthcare model. Interdisciplinary care improves patient outcomes in cardiovascular risk management by fostering shared decision-making and seamless referral pathways, as supported by evidence showing improved health outcomes in psoriasis patients with comprehensive collaborative approaches. Collaborating across dermatology, rheumatology, and primary care ensures that risk factors identified in one setting trigger targeted interventions in another. Real-world accounts of combined clinics and shared electronic dashboards demonstrate enhanced achievement of lipid and blood pressure targets and reduced referral delays.
Embedding these protocols into routine workflows—through electronic health record alerts, multidisciplinary conferences, and defined referral algorithms—has the potential to transform care delivery. Though further research is needed, there is optimism about reducing cardiovascular events among psoriatic patients and creating measurable quality metrics.
Key Takeaways:- Early cardiovascular risk screening in psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis is critical to prevent comorbidities.
- New guidelines mandate integrating cardiovascular assessments into routine care for psoriatic arthritis patients.
- Interdisciplinary collaboration enhances cardiovascular risk management in complex dermatologic conditions.
- Ongoing lifestyle counseling plays a significant role in lowering cardiovascular risks.