A recent Western Sydney study has revealed that fewer than one in five people living with psoriasis (just 20.6 per cent) are aware of the strong link between their skin condition and cardiovascular disease (CVD)—despite psoriasis being an independent risk factor for serious heart events such as heart attack and stroke.
Led by Western Sydney Local Health District’s Dr. Annika Smith and colleagues, the study surveyed over 100 psoriasis patients attending both public and private dermatology clinics across Australia, alongside nearly 300 clinicians including general practitioners (GPs), dermatologists, rheumatologists, and cardiologists.
While 64 per cent of patients reported undergoing recent cardiovascular risk screening, this was mostly conducted by GPs, with dermatologists and cardiologists rarely involved in managing cardiovascular risk.
Interestingly, patient preferences leaned towards specialist-led and multidisciplinary cardiovascular care.
“Psoriasis is a chronic systemic inflammatory disease that significantly raises cardiovascular risk,” explained Dr. Smith.
“Yet, our findings show a major gap in awareness—only one in five patients knew about this connection. This represents a critical missed opportunity for early intervention.”
The clinician survey echoed this knowledge gap, with only 29 per cent of GPs and 55 per cent of cardiologists recognising the psoriasis–CVD association.
Dermatologists and rheumatologists showed higher awareness, but fewer than two-thirds considered psoriasis a clinically relevant cardiovascular risk factor that should influence patient management.
“Most clinicians see GPs as best placed to screen and manage cardiovascular risk in psoriasis patients,” Dr. Smith noted.
However, patients prefer a model where specialists and multidisciplinary teams are more actively involved, suggesting a disconnect in care expectations.”
The study also found that clinicians with a higher proportion of psoriasis patients in their practice were more likely to be aware of the cardiovascular risks, emphasising the need for broader education across all relevant specialties.
“Our research highlights an urgent need for national guidelines to explicitly recognise psoriasis as a cardiovascular risk-enhancing condition,” Dr. Smith said.
“Aligning Australia’s clinical recommendations with international standards will help ensure earlier screening, intervention, and ultimately better health outcomes for this at-risk population.”
The authors call for improved patient education, enhanced multidisciplinary collaboration, and the formal inclusion of psoriasis in cardiovascular risk assessment tools to close these gaps in care.
Read the full publication here
Authors:
Annika Smith 1 2, Belinda Lai 1 2, Sarah Zaman 1 3, Peter Wong 4 5, Fiona Foo 6, Katy J L Bell 7, Pablo Fernandez-Penas 1 2, Clara K Chow 1 3