CARDIOVASCULAR RISK ASSESSMENT IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC INFLAMMATORY DISEASES

Abstract

Chronic immune-mediated inflammatory diseases are associated with persistent systemic inflammation and have been recognized as important risk factors for the development of cardiovascular diseases. Recent evidence indicates that patients with these conditions present an increased cardiovascular risk compared to the general population, regardless of the presence of traditional risk factors. This study aimed to analyze the evidence available in the literature regarding cardiovascular risk assessment in patients with chronic inflammatory diseases. This is an integrative literature review with a qualitative and descriptive approach, conducted through a search in the PubMed/MEDLINE database using descriptors related to chronic inflammatory diseases, systemic inflammation, and cardiovascular risk. Studies published in Portuguese, English, or Spanish were included, without time restriction, addressing the association between chronic inflammation and cardiovascular risk. The results demonstrated that systemic inflammation contributes to endothelial dysfunction, metabolic alterations, and acceleration of atherosclerosis, in addition to highlighting limitations of traditional cardiovascular risk stratification scores in this population. The relevance of complementary strategies, such as inflammatory biomarkers and imaging methods, for early risk identification was also observed. It is concluded that cardiovascular risk assessment in patients with chronic inflammatory diseases requires an expanded and integrated approach to reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.