More than a million people live in Spain with this disease, in the world, 125 million face day-to-day to her.
Not only are the stains, the red license plates visible of the skin, psoriasis is much more than a skin disease. Most of the million of people that suffer from it in Spain (125 million worldwide) may have, in addition, other diseases associated. Between 40 and 60% of patients have metabolic syndrome and fatty liver disease, and between 20 and 30 per cent suffering from psoriatic arthritis. In addition, they are more likely to develop obesity and cardiovascular disease-the leading cause of death in the world.
therefore, it becomes imperative that the patients become aware of their disease: they must take care of yourself and above all, be responsible with your treatment. It is also crucial that this condition “is addressing a way multidisciplinary. Including, the active role of the professional pharmacists,” he said at a press conference, Pedro Jaén, president of the Spanish Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (AEDV) with the occasion of the celebration of the World Day of this disease, which this year took place in the Museo Olavide, Fundación Healthy Skin of the AEDV at the Faculty of Medicine of the Complutense University (Madrid).
One of the pathologies associated with more limitations in patient with psoriasis is the artrisis psoriatic. Up to 30% suffering from it. However, the delay that exists in the diagnosis of the disease (between 3 and 5 years) penalizes so important advances in the treatment of arthritis.
As explained by José de la Mata Llord, a spokesman of the Spanish Society of Rheumatology (SER) and director of the Instituto de Salud Osteoarticular ARI, the artrisis psoriatic is arthritis very heterogeneous in many occasions it is often unnoticed. Usually, symptoms in the spine, hands, knees, feet and even tendons. “When a patient with psoriasis see that you have a knee pain without apparent cause that lasted more than three months, or a back pain continued you should go to a rheumatologist”.
45% of the patients feel depressed
To improve the quality of life of the patients, it is essential empoderarles. That is to say, understand their pathology, that they adopt healthy lifestyle habits so as to reduce the risk of the associated diseases and to acquire a serious commitment with their disease, as has been exposed by Montse Ginés, vice-president of Action Psoriasis(Association of Patients with Psoriasis, Psoriatic Arthritis, and Family), making allusion to the motto of this year: “Psoriasis. Tómatela seriously. Our skin depends on it.”
Visits to the Museum Olavide AEDV
According to professionals, the relationship between patients, doctors and pharmacists has to be constant. The greater the dialogue between all the actors involved, the greater will be the quality of life of all patients. They not only face the physical consequences that it brings their disease but also have to cope with the psychological and emotional consequences. Thus, and according to data shown by Santiago Alfonso, director of Action Psoriasis, up to 45% of the patients feel depressed, a 46% reduced their social life and 14% say they feel discriminated against in their work environment. In addition, many patients claim that their sexual life is affected negatively, by their illness.
“you must act both in their pathologies associated physical as in the psychological realm and the social of the patient. There are co-morbidities less well known that we need to address also. For example, we know that patients with psoriasis have a higher risk of suicide,” said dr. Isabel Belinchón, coordinator of the Working Group on Psoriasis of the AEDV.
The active role of the pharmacists
pharmacists can play a crucial role in the life of patients with psoriasis. “We assist in the identification of those patients who have not been treated or diagnosed, and we are alert to the signs and symptoms that can make us suspicious of other associated diseases, and so advise the referral to the doctor,” said Luis J. González Díez, president of the Official College of Pharmacists of Madrid. The professional pharmacist is every day more formed, he has added for his part Rosalia Gozalo Corral, vocal Dermofarmacia of the Official College of Pharmacists of Madrid: “we Help the patient to understand their disease, to follow treatment and to resolve all doubts that may have with your medication.”
To improve the symptoms and avoid the risk of developing associated diseases, it is essential that the patient with psoriasis to adopt healthy lifestyle habits. As explained by Gozalo, it is important that the patients stop using tobacco, alcohol, and sedentary lifestyles, do physical exercise and to adhere to the mediterranean diet. “It is essential to raise awareness of the care of your skin, as these patients should have the skin perfectly hydrated to avoid the risk of infections and also to deal with the weather changes, for example, the cold and seasonal changes tend to exacerbate the symptoms,” he concluded Gozalo.
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read másUn walk through the history of dermatology Spanish
In the Faculty of Medicine of the Complutense University of Madrid, the Museo Olavide Foundation of Healthy Skin from the AEDV. Created by renowned dermatologist, José Eugenio Olavide in 1882, the museum has an impressive collection of modeled of wax dermatological, more than 600, made in natural size on models of real patients who populated the halls of the Hospital San Juan of God at the end of the NINETEENTH century. It is a historical archive of medicine and the dermatology Spanish and a true reflection of documents and customs division of the Spanish society in the NINETEENTH century and early TWENTIETH century.