Patients diagnosed with eczema may have increased risk for other conditions as well
FRIDAY, July 29, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- Eczema have a serious impact on patients' quality of life and overall health, both physically and mentally, according to a report from the annual American Academy of Dermatology Summer Meeting, held from July 28 to 31 in Boston.
"Although it affects the skin, eczema is not just skin-deep. This disease can have a serious impact on patients' quality of life and overall health, both physically and mentally," Jonathan Silverberg, M.D., Ph.D., of the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, said in an American Academy of Dermatology news release.
Patients with eczema also have a higher risk of skin and other infections. And, the frequent intense itching of eczema and its effect on the skin's appearance may contribute to a greater risk of mental health disorders, such as anxiety and depression, Silverberg said.
Controlling flare-ups of eczema symptoms may help reduce the risk of problems such as sleep disturbance, but cardiovascular disease and other conditions may develop due to eczema's long-term effects on the body, Silverberg said. That's why it's important for treatment to not only improve symptoms in the short term, but also to manage eczema for the long term, he said.
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