ABSTRACT
Systemic sclerosis, an autoimmune disease characterized by fibrosis of the skin and various internal organs, is associated with cardiovascular abnormalities including pulmonary hypertension, atherosclerosis, right and left ventricular dysfunction, arrhythmias, conduction defects, pericardial disease, and valvular heart disease. Clinicians caring for patients with this disease should regularly screen for cardiac symptoms, and patients with abnormal findings should be managed in conjunction with a cardiologist to optimally modify cardiovascular risks.
- © 2019 The Cleveland Clinic Foundation. All Rights Reserved.
- Preethi Mani, MD⇑
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Cleveland Clinic; Clinical Instructor, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH
- * ADDRESS: Preethi Mani, MD, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Cleveland Clinic, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44195; manip{at}ccf.org; pmani87{at}gmail.com
- Soumya Chatterjee, MD, MS, FRCP
- Michael D. Faulx, MD
ABSTRACT
Systemic sclerosis, an autoimmune disease characterized by fibrosis of the skin and various internal organs, is associated with cardiovascular abnormalities including pulmonary hypertension, atherosclerosis, right and left ventricular dysfunction, arrhythmias, conduction defects, pericardial disease, and valvular heart disease. Clinicians caring for patients with this disease should regularly screen for cardiac symptoms, and patients with abnormal findings should be managed in conjunction with a cardiologist to optimally modify cardiovascular risks.
- © 2019 The Cleveland Clinic Foundation. All Rights Reserved.