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Psoriasis, one of the common skin diseases seen in millions of people around the world, could be an indication of abdominal aortic aneurysms that could result in fatal heart problem, says a recent study by researchers from Denmark.

Psoriasis is a noncontagious skin disease characterized by red dry flakes on the skin triggered excessively by inflammatory chemicals produced by lymphocytes. The autoimmune disease is a chronic skin condition, which has no cure found by far. The severity of the skin condition differs from person to person, which may improve or worsen periodically.

While psoriasis is considered as a simple skin disease with debilitating symptoms, the underlying medical complication has not been established by far. One of the recent studies published in the journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology, has it that psoriasis patients have an increased risk of developing abdominal aortic aneurysms, according to Philly.

"The association between [abdominal aortic aneurysm] and psoriasis has not been examined before, but we are not surprised by seeing a heightened risk in our study," said lead researcher Dr. Usman Khalid, a fellow in the department of cardiology at Herlev and Gentofte Hospital in Hellerup, Denmark. "Our results add to the evidence that there is an increased risk of various cardiovascular diseases in patients with psoriasis," Khalid added.

The minor inflammatory skin disease caused by the immune system could be having an intensive impact inside the human body, which might remain relatively unknown. The main artery that supplies blood from heart to abdomen can be weakened and enlarged by this autoimmune disease.

As a result of the enlargement there is a possibility for the artery to rupture, which could be fatal. The abnormality might not be diagnosed since it doesn't show any symptoms until there is a fatal burst in the artery.

The researchers conducted a study involving 11,000 patients with severe psoriasis and 59,000 patients with mild psoriasis. It was observed in the study that 67 percent of severe psoriasis patients had increased risk of abdomen aneurysm and 20 percent mild psoriasis patients were prone to abdomen aneurysm when compared to people without the skin condition, noted Mail Online.

"More research is needed to explain the causal mechanisms," Khalid said. "Nonetheless, our findings not only stress the need to treat the symptoms of the skin disorder, but also a regular evaluation of the risk factors that are associated with cardiovascular disease outcomes."

"Also, patients with psoriasis must be encouraged to change [an] unhealthy lifestyle and adhere to a daily program that will minimize the risk of cardiovascular problems," Khalid added.