Psoriasis, one of the most common skin problems faced by millions of people all around the globe, in a recent scientific study, has been proved to cause an increase in the risk of heart attack.

According to the study team at University of Pennsylvania adults with psoriasis, especially younger people with severe symptoms, develop an increase in the risk for heart attack. The team found that a 30-year old with severe psoriasis is three times likely to suffer heart attack as compared to the person of the same age without psoriasis.

Scientists believe that the abnormality in immune system that causes psoriasis also contributes toward heart problems.

The study was published by the journal of American Medical Association.

Although previous researches also concluded that psoriasis increases a higher risk of cardiovascular diseases. But this latest study which included almost 700,000 people from the UK is the most convincing proof so far.

In the study, it was found that heart attacks were more common in patients with severe psoriasis and mild psoriasis than in patients without the skin disease. Further, the risk of the heart attack to psoriasis patients declines with age.

Professor Jeremy Pearson, associate medical director at British Heart Foundation said about the study:

"Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease. We already know that the risk of heart disease is increased for people suffering some other chronic inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis. This large study therefore not only has potential implications for heart health advice to psoriasis patients, but also strengthens the evidence that all chronic inflammatory diseases might be linked to heart disease by a shared mechanism. If further research can unravel this mechanism, it is likely to be relevant for the treatment of all heart disease patients."