Cardiovascular events in systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis : emerging concepts, early diagnosis and management.

The incidence of cardiovascular disease is significantly increased in the two common autoimmune disorders Systemic Lupus Erythematous (SLE) and Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). Cardiovascular mortality is a major cause of death in these patients. This has been linked to acceleration of the atherosclerotic process in these disorders. Traditional cardiovascular risk factors alone cannot fully explain the accelerated atherogenesis in these disorders. In addition to the systemic inflammation, additional mechanisms have been put forward that are more specific for the pathophysiology of these autoimmune chronic inflammatory disorders. Further, longitudinal studies are required to define optimal preventive strategies for cardiovascular comorbidity in SLE and RA.