WeAreLupus.org - The Social Support Network for People Living with Lupus & Fibromyalgia

Cardiovascular Health and Lupus Web Chat Wednesday, February 11, 3 P.M. Eastern

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--According to the National Institutes of Health, there is growing evidence which suggests inflammation plays a strong role in the development of cardiovascular disease. People with the chronic autoimmune disease lupus -- which causes inflammation to various parts of the body, including the heart, lungs, blood, and blood vessels -- have a much higher incidence of cardiovascular disease than do people in the general population.

Heart disease is a major complication of lupus, and is now a leading cause of death among people with lupus. Maintaining good cardiovascular health is important to managing lupus and preventing potentially disabling or fatal complications of the disease.

The Lupus Foundation of America will conduct a live chat through its website on the topic of “Cardiovascular Health and Lupus” on Wednesday, February 11, beginning at 3 p.m. Eastern time. The chat is accessible through the LFA website at www.lupus.org.

The guest expert will be Dr. Amy H. Kao, assistant professor of medicine at the University of Pittsburgh and a rheumatologist with the Lupus Center of Excellence at the University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC).

Individuals may submit questions to Dr. Kao in advance or during the course of the chat. A transcript of the chat will be posted to the LFA website the following day.

Submit an advance question prior to February 11:
http://www.lupus.org/newsite/pages/submit_question.html

Log into the live chat on February 11:
http://www.lupus.org/newsite/pages/chat_login.html

About Lupus

Lupus is an autoimmune disease which is the result of an unbalanced immune system that can be destructive to any organ or tissue in the body. The health consequences of lupus include heart attacks, strokes, seizures, premature birth, miscarriages, and organ failure. An estimated 1.5 million Americans and at least five million people worldwide are living with some form of lupus.

About the LFA

The Lupus Foundation of America is the foremost national nonprofit voluntary health organization dedicated to finding the causes of and cure for lupus and for providing support, services and hope to all people affected by lupus. The LFA and its network of nearly 300 chapters, branches, and support groups conduct programs of research, education, and advocacy.

Source: http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20090209005854&newsLang=en