Cardiovascular risks in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: what should be taken into account?

In recent years, there has been a steady increase in the incidence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) worldwide. Treatment of ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease has become more effective thanks to the emergence of biological therapies, increased access to specialized care and a “treat to target” approach. However, with an increase in the life expectancy of patients with IBD, there is an increase in the number of persons with comorbidity, primarily with a combination of IBD with cardiovascular pathology. Environmental factors lead to a change in the diversity and density of colonization of the intestinal microbiota, a violation of its barrier function, immune dysregulation, which in turn leads to the development of chronic inflammatory diseases and atherosclerosis. Levels of proinflammatory cytokines, C-reactive protein, and homocysteine increase in IBD, leading to endothelial dysfunction and atherosclerosis. In addition, inflammatory processes in IBD promote hypercoagulation, which occurs both in the thromboembolic complications and in the pathogenesis of the disease itself. It has been suggested that medical pathogenetic therapy for IBD is also associated with the risk of cardiovascular disease. In this review, we systematize the available data on the risks of cardiovascular diseases in patients with IBD. A literature search containing information on relevant studies was carried out in PubMed and Google Scholar systems with the keywords: inflammatory bowel disease, cardiovascular disease, inflammation, atherosclerosis.