Heart Health

Autoimmune conditions and heart disease

By , Executive Editor, Harvard Heart Letter
Threats to the heart may be undertreated in people with conditions that boost inflammation.

When the body’s immune system goes awry and mistakenly attacks its own tissues, it triggers an outpouring of white blood cells and other substances. Known as inflammation, this largely invisible, insidious process is the hallmark of autoimmune systemic inflammatory diseases (see "Mysterious immune system misfires").

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About the Author

photo of Julie Corliss

Julie Corliss, Executive Editor, Harvard Heart Letter

Julie Corliss is the executive editor of the Harvard Heart Letter. Before working at Harvard, she was a medical writer and editor at HealthNews, a consumer newsletter affiliated with The New England Journal of Medicine. She … See Full Bio
View all posts by Julie Corliss

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