Category Archives: Symptoms Management

Psoriatic Arthritis Cardiovascular Disease

Heart Disease Risk May be Nearly Doubled in People with Psoriatic Arthritis

Doctors have long known that heart disease is more common in people who have inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and psoriasis. But they weren’t sure if this applied to psoriatic arthritis (PsA), which is more complex and not nearly as well studied. Then, in 2016, Canadian researchers published a meta-analysis of studies evaluating cardiovascular disease risk and PsA in the journal Arthritis Care & Research. The results suggested that people with PsA were 43 percent more likely to have or develop heart disease compared with the general population. PsA patients also had a 22 percent increased risk of cerebrovascular disease – conditions such as stroke that affect blood flow to the brain.
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psoriasis fracture risk

Psoriatic Arthritis, Psoriasis May Raise Your Fracture Risk

People with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and those with severe psoriasis are at higher risk than the general population for a type of fracture typically associated with osteoporosis, according to a new study published online in January 2017 in Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases. In fact, the increase in risk for these two groups is comparable or even higher than that of people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a group known to have higher than average risks of osteoporosis and fracture related to low bone mineral density.
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Statins Arthritis Inflammation

Statins May Cut Death Risk in Those with Psoriatic Arthritis & Ankylosing Spondylitis

People with ankylosing spondylitis or psoriatic arthritis who take cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins seem to live longer than people who don’t take them, according to researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. They presented their findings recently at the American College of Rheumatology’s 2016 Annual Meeting.

In a previous study, Massachusetts General researchers found that people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who took statins lived longer, and they wanted to know if the drugs would offer a similar benefit to patients with other types of inflammatory arthritis, such as ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA). AS mainly affects the spine, especially the sacroiliac joint where the spine meets the pelvis. PsA affects joints as well as skin.
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Psoriatic Arthritis Heart Disease

Psoriatic Arthritis May Raise Cardiovascular Disease Risk

People with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) are at increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) compared with people who don’t have PsA, according to a meta-analysis published in the April issue of Arthritis Care and Research. Lead investigator Lihi Eder, MD, PhD, says the study is among the first to quantify the relationship between heart disease and psoriatic arthritis – a form of inflammatory arthritis that usually develops in people who have the skin disease psoriasis.
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Emotional Toll Psoriatic Arthritis Depression

The Emotional Toll of Psoriatic Arthritis

The symptoms of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) are usually quite visible – painful, swollen joints, skin reactions and fatigue. Less apparent, but just as impactful, is the emotional toll the disease can take.

“They tell me that it’s taxing,” Julie Nelligan, PhD, a Portland Oregon-based psychologist, says of her psoriatic arthritis patients. “They may say things like, ‘Nobody understands me, I feel like I’m not contributing. I’m lonely, I’m anxious because I don’t know when I can get things done and I can’t commit to doing things,’” she adds.

Living with a disease that has both subtle and obvious symptoms can be a double-edged sword. When you don’t have any noticeable skin lesions, friends and family might not realize how much pain you’re in, and fail to take your illness seriously.
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psoriatic arthritis facts vs myth

5 Psoriatic Arthritis Myths Debunked

Between appointments with your healthcare provider and online research, you feel confident in your knowledge of psoriatic arthritis (PsA). You might be surprised to learn that some popular beliefs about the disease, which affects up to 30% of the 7.5 million Americans living with psoriasis, are not true at all.

“There is a lack of understanding about the nature of this disease,” explains Eric L. Matteson MD, professor of medicine in the division of rheumatology at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN.

Learn the truth behind five popular psoriatic arthritis myths.

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Psoriatic Arthritis Eye Complications

Psoriatic Arthritis and Eye Complications

Research shows that the same arthritic inflammation that causes joint problems might also cause damage in other areas of your body, including your vision. One Arthritis Today reader asked us how psoriatic arthritis can lead to potential vision problems. Read on to find out more about what causes these complications and how to treat them, with answers from an expert rheumatologist in Toronto

Question From a Reader:

I have psoriatic arthritis and often hear that it can lead to eye and vision problems. What are these problems and is there anything I can do to avoid them?

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Psoriatic Arthritis Skin Care

Skin Protection Tips for Psoriatic Arthritis

Keeping disease activity under control with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs and biologics is an important part of managing the skin symptoms of psoriatic arthritis. But many lifestyle habits can help or worsen psoriasis.  Here are 9 self-care tips that can relieve symptoms and promote healthier skin.

Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize. One of the best remedies for scaling skin is moisture.  Applying moisturizers frequently can relieve dryness and itching and promote healing, particularly in cold, dry weather. The best one for you will depend on how dry your skin is – the thicker the product the more moisture it will hold in, says Steven R. Feldman, MD, professor in the department of dermatology at Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, N.C.  Dr. Feldman recommends fragrance-free products. A few brands to look for: Cetaphil, CeraVe and Eucerin.

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