cardiovascular manifestations

Last reviewed 01/2018

Cardiac manifestations seen in lupus patients include:

  • accelerated atherosclerosis
    • studies have revealed that in lupus patients, artherosclerosis develop prematurely and independenatly of traditional risk factors
  • pericarditis
    • is the most common cardiovascular complication affecting about 25% of patients.
  • mild myocarditis
  • Libman-Sacks endocarditis (1)
  • bacterial endocarditis superimposed on a valve damaged by Libman-Sacks endocarditis
  • rarely - aortic valve lesions, such as aortic regurgitation, and cardiomyopathy
  • recurrent venous or arterial thrombosis, thrombophlebitis and other effects of lupus anticoagulant
  • congenital heart block may occur in neonatal lupus

Reference: