Chronic inflammatory diseases are a known risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). While inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic inflammatory disease and is prevalent in the United States, patients with IBD have not been considered high risk for ASCVD. A recent meta-analysis indicates that IBD is, in fact, an independent risk factor for ASCVD.

In a new study published in the December edition of the Journal of the American College of Cardiologists (JACC), Dr. Khurram Nasir, chief of the Division of Cardiovascular Prevention and Wellness at Houston Methodist, and his colleagues discuss the links between IBD and ASCVD and mechanisms underlying these associations.

The study outlines how the role of IBD in ASCVD prevention guidelines should be defined and provides strategies that reduce ASCVD risk in patients with IBD. Management of these patients should include prevention, systemic detection and aggressive management of cardiovascular risk factors. Nasir and the team also offer suggestions for future research in this field. For more detailed information, see the full article in JACC.