Heart failure in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disorder characterized by a constellation of cardiovascular (CV) and non-CV manifestations. Even though CV complications such as accelerated atherosclerosis and elevated risk of myocardial infarction (MI) have been recognized for many years, there is limited evidence regarding SLE and its association with heart failure (HF). Traditional risk factors of atherosclerotic CV disease, as well as various SLE manifestations and therapies, independently or together, increase the risk of HF in this population. There is a need for sufficiently powered intervention studies focusing on specific risk factors to improve CV outcomes in SLE patients.