LUPUS FOUNDATION OF AMERICA - Lupus and the Heart


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Information about Lupus-Releated Heart Disease
	We hear a lot about heart disease, and many people know it’s the number one killer among Americans, but you probably don’t know it is also now among the leading causes of death for people with lupus. People with lupus have a higher risk of developing complications affecting the heart, usually from inflammation of the tissue and lining of the heart. Heart attacks and strokes also occur more frequently in people with lupus patients than in the general population. This is why a key part of the LFA’s National Research Program is studying cardiovascular disease in people with lupus. It’s very hard to predict which people with lupus ultimately might develop heart disease, or measure the severity of disease activity. The studies funded by LFA’s research program are evaluating how to determine who could develop heart disease, and seeking to gain a better understanding of the heart disease process in people with lupus.
	Learn more about the impact of lupus-related cardiac disease. Learn more about LFA’s cardiovascular research efforts. Watch videos of LFA-supported investigators discussing their studies. View our new interactive tool, "The Impact of Lupus on the Body."
	Related Information Transcripts of previous web chats about lupus-related heart disease Cardiovascular Health & Lupus February 2009 webchat transcript with Dr. Amy H. Kao Women’s Heart Health February 2008 webchat transcript with Dr. Amy H. Kao Heart Disease and Lupus February 2007 webchat transcript with Dr. Susan Manzi *Article from past issues of Lupus Now® magazine* Change of Heart - New Guidelines for Cardiovascular Health for Women Spring 2009 issue Research Updates: Studies related to lupus and heart disease Antiphospholipid Antibodies: It may matter which ones you have People with Lupus Have an Increased Risk for Heart Disease and Stroke Assessing the risk factors for heart disease Lupus as a risk factor for heart disease Detecting damage to arterial walls
	Help Support Additional Research on Lupus Want to help support LFA research on cardiovascular disease and other manifestations? Make an online donation today! Consider making a memorial or honorary donation to pay tribute to someone with lupus.