Increased Risk of Cardiovascular Disease Among Women with Lupus

Source: Inland Valley News

Cardiovascular disease is a major health concern for people with the autoimmune disease Lupus. The fall issue of the Lupus Foundation of America's national magazine, Lupus Now, discusses recent studies that confirm that women with Lupus have a greater risk of developing cardiovascular disease than women in the general population.

One study found that 250 women with Lupus had higher levels of triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and homocysteine compared to 250 healthy women. These factors are associated with inflammation caused by Lupus and likely contribute to the increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

The magazine's section for healthcare professionals presents a case study about muscle inflammation and spotlights several research studies: (1) use of the cancer drug Rituxan (Rituximab) for treating lupus; (2) genetic associations with Lupus among African Americans; and (3) predictors of pregnancy outcome in some people with Lupus.

Lupus Now is published three times per year by the Lupus Foundation of America (LFA), the nation's leading nonprofit voluntary health agency dedicated to Lupus. For information, call the LFA toll-free at 1-888-38-LUPUS, or online at www.lupus.org.