Cardio-Rheumatology Care

Cardio-Rheumatology Care

Inflammation is at the root of many illnesses including autoimmune disorders and cardiovascular diseases.

If you have an autoimmune disease like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, Sjogren or psoriatic arthritis, our cardio-rheumatology specialists understand how it impacts your heart health.

Our approach to cardio-rheumatology care

If you have an autoimmune disease, our specialty is assessing your cardiovascular risk. 

Inflammation plays an important role in both initiating and worsening of cardiovascular disease. There is clear evidence that inflammation, a key factor underlying autoimmune disorders, negatively impacts cardiovascular health. Despite the evidence, there are significant gaps in cardiac care for if you deal with autoimmune diseases and chronic inflammation.

Our cardio-rheumatology program, part of the Mary and Steve Wen Cardiovascular Division, is dedicated to closing this gap. To do so, we offer comprehensive evaluation and early detection. The strategies we use include:

• Personalized risk assessment and inflammatory marker monitoring
• Advanced cardiac imaging (MRI, CT, echocardiography, nuclear cardiology) for early detection
• Collaborative decision-making between cardiology and your rheumatology specialists
• Targeted immunomodulatory therapies tailored to disease-specific mechanisms

Education

We’ll make sure you understand how your specific autoimmune disorder affects your heart. Your doctor will also discuss the effects of immunosuppressive and anti-rheumatic therapies on your cardiovascular health and suggest the best treatments.

How we work together

The Cardio-Rheumatology Program integrates cardiology, rheumatology, and advanced cardiac imaging to provide you with individualized care. Our cardiologist, rheumatologists, cardiac radiologists and other healthcare providers coordinate to provide you with seamless access to any specialist you need.

When to seek care

If you have an autoimmune disease, you will benefit from early evaluation to prevent progressive cardiovascular disease such as coronary artery disease, heart failure, heart rhythm issues and life-threatening complications. Your primary care practitioner or rheumatologist can refer you to our Cardio-Rheumatology Program to ensure you get the right treatments.

Why choose UCI Health for cardio-rheumatology care?

Our expertise in managing pericarditis has been recognized by the American Heart Association

The AHA has selected UCI Health as one of only 15 centers nationwide to lead an initiative addressing gaps in the treatment of recurrent pericarditis. Dr. Amin Sabet leads this innovative program.

As Orange County’s only academic medical center, we are dedicated to discovering novel treatments through our ongoing clinical trials

We offer continuous clinical trials across most medical service lines, including research that examines heart health and inflammation. If you qualify for an appropriate trial, you may be able to receive new treatments not yet widely available.

UCI Health offers heart health coaching, providing you with personalized education to help you make impactful lifestyle changes

Heart disorders can be the result of genetics, an unhealthy lifestyle or an underlying condition like autoimmune disorders. We’ll help you control what you can by getting you access to nutritional counseling, personal training or physical therapy resources.

Our multidisciplinary team approach ensures your access to organized, coordinated care

You benefit from the collaborative decision-making between our cardiology and rheumatology specialists. Together they’ll create a personalized treatment plan for you.

The cardio-rheumatology program is at the forefront of leading-edge research and innovation

Between our specialized training and access to the latest techniques, we make sure you get the most advanced, evidence-based care available.