SCLERODERMA AND PRIMARY MYOCARDIAL DISEASE

Course overview

SYSTEMIC SCLERODERMA IS A CONNECTIVE TISSUE DISEASE THAT CAN AFFECT INTERNAL ORGANS. CARDIAC MANIFESTATIONS OF THE DISEASE CAN BE A RESULT OF THE PRIMARY DISEASE OR SECONDARY TO THE INVOLVEMENT OF ANOTHER ORGAN. DIRECT INVOLVEMENT CAN MANIFEST AS CONDUCTION SYSTEM ABNORMALITIES, MYOCARDIAL, AND PERICARDIAL DISEASE. KIDNEY AND LUNG INVOLVEMENT CAN LEAD TO HYPERTENSIVE CRISIS AND PULMONARY HYPERTENSION (PAH), RESPECTIVELY. CARDIAC MANIFESTATIONS CAN BE SUBCLINICAL, BUT OVERALL, THEY PORTEND A POOR PROGNOSIS. THIS ACTIVITY OUTLINES THE CARDIAC MANIFESTATIONS OF SCLERODERMA, EVALUATION, AND TREATMENT. IT EMPHASIZES THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN DIAGNOSING THIS CONDITION PROMPTLY.