Having an Autoimmune Disease
Autoimmune diseases like Crohn’s disease, lupus, and type 1 diabetes all target and attack the body’s own healthy tissues and cause inflammation. And since inflammation can cause buildup of plaque that leads to arterial blockages, people with autoimmune diseases are at greater risk for developing heart disease.
Researchers have found that patients with rheumatoid arthritis, for instance, have a 50 percent increased risk of heart attack within just one year of their diagnosis.
