Premature coronary heart disease in systemic lupus erythematosus: what risk factors do we understand?

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a major cause of mortality in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). This 'accelerated atherosclerosis' is due to a combination of traditional risk factors such as hypertension and hyperlipidemia, and also disease-related factors such as chronic inflammation. Recent work has provided valuable insights into the relative contribution of various risk factors and also identified novel risk factors. An understanding of risk factors is fundamental to the prevention of CHD in SLE. In this review, we will discuss the role of risk factors for CHD in SLE and offer some strategies for their assessment and management.