Five Things to Know About Your Heart When You Have Vasculitis 2026

0:00 2:23 Audience poll. 4:50 Why it matters to know about your heart health with vasculitis. 6:06 Your 5-Point Heart Checklist 7:57 What is vasculitis? 13:55 Your diagnosis timing matters. 15:19 Controlling your disease protects your heart. 16:47 Watch for traditional risk factors. 20:07 Blood clots are a real concern. 23:26 Build your heart-protection plan. 26:40 Heart concerns by type of vasculitis. 28:35 Questions to ask your doctor. 31:52 Remember these 5 things. Q: 32:46 Does vasculitis make heart procedures like bypass riskier? Q:33:44 Is there a difference between the damage from Vasculitis and normal atherosclerosis on cat scans and MRIs? Q35:21 Does the increased increase include small vessel vasculitis cutaneous, previously known as leukocytoclastic vasculitis? Q36:35 Are varicose veins related to this at all, or considered a red flag? Q37:52 Is it good to have your heart health checked even if you don't have cardiac issues with your vasculitis? Q40:50 Have you seen any patients or research where vasculitis has affected specifically the sinoatrial node - resulting in brachychardia with regular heart function otherwise? Q42:30 My husband has ANCA vasculitis and his cardio wants him to take a statin. At the same time his rheumatologist said statins can cause a vasculitis flare. In general, is there a particular statin that is safer in vasculitis? Q44:39 I recently found out I have an aneurysm in my hepatic artery. I’m due for my rituximab infusion. Will that help correct the aneurysm? Is there a treatment for this? Q45:56 I have urticarial vasculitis. I recently wore a heart monitor for 3 days. The rhythm was normal. However, my heart rate was high. 21% of the time it was between 90 and 170 bpm. This was without exercising. Do you think this could be related to the vasculitis or is it just a coincidence? My cardiologist is not familiar with vasculitis. Q49:02 What are signs of blood clots? Q51:02 Can you quantify specific measures for inflammation, how often to measure, & resulting risks for GPA/AAV? Vasculitis can affect the heart and the blood vessels connected to it, making cardiac health an important part of disease management. Understanding these risks can help patients recognize symptoms early and partner more effectively with their care team. In this patient-friendly webinar, Dr. Alison Bays, Assistant Professor of Rheumatology at UW Medicine, explains how vasculitis can impact the heart and what patients need to know to protect their cardiovascular health. This session will cover: How vasculitis can affect the heart and blood vessels Symptoms that may signal cardiac involvement How doctors evaluate and treat heart-related complications Ways patients can partner with their care team to support heart health Designed for patients and caregivers, this webinar offers clear guidance on a complex topic and includes a live Q&A to answer your questions. Register to take an informed step toward protecting your heart health while living with vasculitis.