Psoriatic arthritis

Managing related conditions

As with psoriasis and other types of inflammatory arthritis, you may be more likely to get some otherconditions such as cardiovascular disease (CVD) if you have psoriatic arthritis. CVD isthe termfor conditionsof the heart or blood vessels, such as heart disease and stroke .

Your doctor should carry out tests each year (such as blood pressure and cholesterol tests) sothey cancheck whether you have CVD and offer additional treatment, if necessary.

You can also help yourself by:

having a good balance between rest and regular physical activity
losing weight, if you are overweight
not smoking
only drinking moderate amounts of alcohol

Preventing CVD

Your care team

As well asyour GP and a rheumatologist, you may also be cared for by:

a specialist nurse who will often be your first point of contact with your specialist care team
a dermatologist (skin specialist) who will be responsible for treating your psoriasis symptoms
a physiotherapist who can devise an exercise plan to keep your joints mobile
an occupational therapist who can identify any problems you have in everyday activities and find ways to overcome or manage these
a psychologist who can offer psychological support if you need it

Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 21 Dec 2018

Articles for psoriatic arthritis

Introduction

Read about psoriatic arthritis, a type of arthritis that develops in some people with the skin condition psoriasis

Symptoms of psoriatic arthritis

The pain, swelling and stiffness associated with psoriatic arthritiscan affect any joint in the body, but the condition often affects the hands, feet, knees, neck, spine and elbows. The severity of t

When to seek medical advice

Seeyour GP if you experience persistent pain, swelling or stiffness in your joints even if you haven't been diagnosed with psoriasis. If you've been diagnosed with psoriasis, you should have check-u

Causes of psoriatic arthritis

Between one and two in every five people with psoriasis develop psoriatic arthritis. It usually develops within 10 years of psoriasis being diagnosed, although some people may experience problems wit

Diagnosing psoriatic arthritis

If your doctor thinks you may have arthritis, they should refer youtoa rheumatologist (a specialist in joint conditions) for an assessment. The British Association of Dermatologists website has infor

Treating psoriatic arthritis

The main aims of treatment will be to relieve your symptoms, slow the progression of the condition and improve your quality of life. For most people, this involves trying a number of different medica

Managing related conditions

As with psoriasis and other types of inflammatory arthritis, you may be more likely to get some otherconditions such as cardiovascular disease (CVD) if you have psoriatic arthritis. CVD isthe termf

Health News