Cardiovascular Disease and Lupus SLE can affect your heart in a variety of ways. Some effects are life-threatening (including heart attacks) and others are much less serious. There are several risk fac- tors for heart-related conditions, many of which can be avoided. It is important that you report any chest pain to your doctor so that together you can determine the cause and, when needed, develop an action plan to lower your risk of developing serious complica- tions. The Lupus-Heart Connection Overall, people with SLE have a five-to-six times greater risk for heart disease than people without SLE. The increased risk is most noticeable in young pre-menopausal women with lupus, who may be up to 50 times more likely to have a heart attack than women of the same age who do not have lupus. The most common heart condition affecting people with lupus is atherosclerosis. It occurs when cholesterol and other fatty deposits clog the arteries, slowing the flow of blood and preventing the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to your heart and other organs. If atherosclerosis blocks the flow of blood to your heart, the result may be a heart attack. If the blood flow to the brain is stopped, the result may be a stroke. People with lupus often have one or more risk factors for atherosclerosis. A study done by researchers at the University of Toronto Lupus Clinic in 2003 found that women with lupus are more likely to have risk factors for heart disease than their counterparts with- out lupus. These risk factors include diabetes, high blood pressure (hypertension), early menopause and high LDL (“bad”) cholesterol. Women with lupus may also be more likely to have sedentary lifestyles (probably because of joint pain and fatigue caused by their disease). In addition, the use of corticosteroids for lupus treatment can cause ex- cessive weight gain, another risk factor for heart disease. Smoking is one of the most important risk factors for atherosclerosis, and could take years off your life. It cannot be emphasized enough that quitting smoking is one of the most important steps you can take for your health. The good news is that you can take action against many of these factors and reduce your risk of heart disease. Change What You Can You may be more likely to have certain risk factors for heart disease because of your lupus, but you can do something about the following: High blood pressure: High blood pressure or hypertension (consistently above 140/90 mmHg) can narrow and eventually block arteries that carry blood through your body. It also strains the heart, possibly leading to heart attack. Very high blood pressure can cause blood vessels in the brain to burst, resulting in a stroke. Hypertension often has no symptoms, so be sure to have your blood pressure checked at least every year. Eat- ing a low salt or low sodium diet, eating alkalinizing foods, and adequate water intake can all help lower blood pressure. 12