Cutaneous Dermatologic Manifestations of Cardiovascular Diseases: A Narrative Review

Cureus. 2024 Oct 24;16(10):e72336. doi: 10.7759/cureus.72336. eCollection 2024 Oct.

Abstract

Cardiovascular diseases represent the largest worldwide cause of morbidity and mortality. Common signs and symptoms of cardiovascular disease are well characterized and taught in medical curricula, allowing clinicians to quickly recognize and diagnose the more acute and emergent cardiovascular diseases. Dermatological features associated with cardiovascular diseases are less understood but very valuable to appreciate in clinical practice. The present investigation evaluates heart conditions such as heart failure, atherosclerosis, infective endocarditis, and Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, highlighting dermatologic signs that indicate underlying cardiovascular pathology and serve as important diagnostic and prognostic markers.

Keywords: atherosclerosis; cardiovascular disease; dermatology; heart failure; infective endocarditis; janeway lesions; skin; stasis dermatitis; takotsubo cardiomyopathy.

Publication types

  • Review