Lupus patients can significantly decrease their risk of heart disease if they consistently take their medication, a new study says.
People with lupus had a higher risk of heart disease if they didn’t consistently take hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), the most common treatment for the disease, researchers report in the journal Arthritis Care & Research.
“This study underscores the need for targeted interventions that both improve long-term adherence to HCQ and help patients achieve the target HCQ blood levels,” lead researcher Dr. Shivani Garg, director of the Yale Lupus Program, said in a news release.
“It can be difficult for patients to commit to taking medication every single day for the rest of their lives,” Garg said. “By giving patients clear data about their HCQ level and how it impacts their heart health and risk for flare-ups, we can help them make better-informed decisions about their medicines and care.”
Lupus involves the body’s immune system attacking its own tissues, causing inflammation that can affect joints, skin and blood cells, as well as organs like the kidneys, brain, heart and lungs.
Because of this, lupus patients have much higher odds of heart disease compared to the general public, researchers said in background notes.
For example, young women with lupus are up to 50 times more likely to have a heart attack than those without the disease, researchers said.
Hydroxychloroquine is a cornerstone in lupus management, researchers said.
The drug is known to decrease lupus flares and lower the amount of damage that the disease does to the body over time, according to the Lupus Foundation of America.
“We have always thought of HCQ as a foundational therapy, but we didn’t have clear data showing if maintaining levels within the therapeutic range, defined by our team and others, has a real-world effect on lowering the risk of having a heart attack or stroke,” Garg said.
For the new study, researchers studied a group of 248 lupus patients. The team assessed the patients’ risk of heart disease using a popular American Heart Association tool and compared this risk against how diligent they’d been in taking their hydroxychloroquine.
Researchers tested each person’s blood levels of HCQ and tracked their prescription refills, both of which provided insight into how faithfully patients had been taking their daily meds.
Results showed that people with very low blood levels of HCQ and fewer prescription refills had a higher risk of heart disease within one to two years.
The added risk wasn’t shockingly high — just under 7 percent on average for people who didn’t take their HCQ as prescribed from the outset, and nearly 6 percent for those who wound up with less adherence to their meds by the end of the study.
But Garg said any increase in risk — no matter how slight — matters a lot because the patients were relatively young, with an average age of 47. This risk could have long-term consequences for patients’ heart health.
“It gives an actionable next step for the clinicians and patients to optimize HCQ use and dosing to prevent a heart attack or stroke,” Garg said. “These findings clearly give another reason for monitoring HCQ blood levels at the point of care instead of using the standard one-size-fits-all dosing.”
RELATED: 7 Clinical Trial Misconceptions Every Lupus Patient Should Know
Black women are disproportionately affected by lupus and often develop the disease at younger ages. In addition, studies have shown that Black patients frequently experience more severe lupus complications, including kidney damage, neurological conditions, blood disorders, skin manifestations, and cardiovascular disease. People with lupus can face a higher risk of heart attack, stroke, and other cardiovascular problems than the general population.
Any treatment that can help control lupus while possibly lowering heart risks could be particularly meaningful.
So how exactly does lupus affect the heart? Lupus is an autoimmune disease, meaning it causes chronic inflammation throughout the body. Over time, this inflammation can damage blood vessels and increase plaque buildup. People with lupus face higher risks of heart attack, stroke, and other cardiovascular problems than the general population.
Managing inflammation is one of the key ways healthcare providers work to protect patients’ long-term health.
Medication adherence means taking your prescription medications at the right time, in the right dose, and the right way, as your healthcare provider instructs. Some people stop taking medications because they feel better. Factors like cost, transportation barriers, refill delays, side effects, and limited access to healthcare can also make medication adherence challenging.
Missing doses may allow lupus inflammation to increase, worsening symptoms. Before stopping or changing medication, you should always speak with your healthcare team first.
RELATED: Ending Lupus Starts With Black Participation in Clinical Trials
Researchers are continuing to study new treatments aimed at reducing lupus complications and improving quality of life. Clinical trials can help scientists better understand how treatments work across diverse populations.
Black participation in lupus research remains important because the disease disproportionately affects Black communities. Participating in a clinical trial may offer several benefits, including access to new treatments, high-quality medical care, and a contribution to community health.
If you’re interested in learning more, ask your healthcare provider or visit BlackDoctor’s Clinical Trials Resource Center.
More information
The Mayo Clinic has more on lupus.
SOURCES: Yale School of Medicine, news release, Sept. 4, 2026; Arthritis Care & Research, Sept. 4, 2026
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