By Melba Newsome | Posted August 2 2010
Researchers have found that patients who suffer from one disease are often tag-teamed by a seemingly unrelated illness or “shadow disease.”
Dr. Joel Gelfand of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine says even some of his patients can be cavalier about having a skin condition like psoriasis. However, the dermatologist’s research has concluded that psoriasis–inflamed, scaly patches of skin–can be deadly serious.
“In the last decade or so, we have recognized the association between psoriasis and heart disease,” he explains. “The severe form is a bigger risk factor for heart- and stroke-related death than high blood pressure.”
Psoriasis sufferers were nearly 60 percent more likely to die of causes related to heart disease or stroke than those without the disease. Gelfand notes that the same genes that make people susceptible to psoriasis have also been linked to heart disease and the same type of inflammation is associated with both heart disease and psoriasis.
Here are other illnesses that often occur in pairs.
High Blood Pressure and Diabetes: Harvard researches found that having high blood pressure doubles your risk of developing diabetes. Inflammation may be the trigger since it is believed to play a role in both diseases. Exercise, maintaining a normal weight, limiting salt and being tobacco free can limit the risk of both high blood pressure and diabetes.
Asthma and Depression: Military veterans who exhibit the most post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms are more than twice as likely to have asthma as those with the mildest cases. The reasons are not clear but experts believe that breathing difficulties exacerbate anxiety or depression and vice versa.
Endometriosis and Melanoma: A 2007 French study found that women with endometriosis, a female reproductive disorder, are 62 percent more likely to suffer from melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer. Researchers believe that the same genetic defect triggers both conditions.
Migraines and Stroke/Heart Attack: Just one migraine a month elevates your heart attack risk by 50 percent whereas weekly migraines triple your risk of suffering a stroke. The problem may be caused by patent foramen ovale, a usually harmless heart defect where a flap between the right and left atrium does not close at birth. The defect is linked to blood clots and increased risk of stroke.
CONNECT THE DOTS
To learn more about these diseases, their symptoms and what you can do to reduce your risk, click on the links below:
Psoriasis
Heart Disease
High Blood Pressure
Diabetes
Asthma
Depression
Endometriosis,
Melanoma
Migraines
Stroke
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