UC Davis dermatologists have found that people who have high blood pressure as well as psoriasis – a condition that causes patches of irritated, itchy red skin – are more likely to have more severe high blood pressure and require more medications to control it than people without psoriasis. The association between high blood pressure (hypertension) and psoriasis is an active area of investigation, but this is the first study to suggest a link between the dermatological condition and hypertension severity.
“Our study makes a strong case that psoriasis is not just a skin-deep disease,” said April W. Armstrong, assistant clinical professor of dermatology and principal investigator and lead author of the study. “We are beginning to find that psoriasis may represent a window into detecting cardiovascular conditions, including hypertension …”