Vasospastic diseases symptoms include pain, numbness, and other changes in your body’s circulatory system. They may happen to your arteries in the heart and brain, or elsewhere. They can be a sign of an underlying condition or disease and require treatment, such as heart surgery or drugs to relax the blood vessels.
Primary Raynaud’s (Raynaud’s phenomenon) is a vasospastic disorder that causes a sudden narrowing of the arteries in your fingers or toes when exposed to cold or stress. It can be triggered by certain medical conditions, such as scleroderma, and can lead to permanent tissue damage or long-term health problems.
Secondary Raynaud’s, which is rarer than primary, can also occur as a result of an underlying condition. This is most often scleroderma, but it can also be related to other connective tissue diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and Sjogren’s syndrome.
It is possible to have one or more vasospasms that cause chest pain, called angina. Angina is caused by a shortage of oxygen in the blood.
Your doctor will do a coronary angiogram to check your heart’s arteries. This involves injecting a special chemical called acetylcholine which should cause your blood vessels to relax. If your spasms aren’t treated you could have angina attacks and need to be admitted to hospital.
A vasospasm in the heart can be a serious problem and can cause a cardiac arrest, where your heart stops pumping blood to your muscles. It can also lead to a heart attack.
Coronary artery vasospasm is an ailment that occurs more frequently in older people, especially those with diabetes or high blood pressure. This type of angina can be treated with a drug called nimodipine or Verapamil.
It can be a chronic condition that is monitored by your cardiologist, specialist nurse or GP. Your doctor will treat it by giving you a calcium channel blocker like Verapamil, Amlodipine or Diltiazem to prevent spasms and keep them from coming back.
This vasospasm is more common in women than in men. It can be triggered by things such as cold exposure, nipple trauma and stress. It’s more severe than Raynaud’s, and it can lead to permanent damage to the nipple or other organs.
The main symptom of this condition is chest pain. It’s usually a pressure or squeezing sensation on the left side of your chest that may go up your neck or down your arm.
Another symptom of this condition is swelling of your fingers or toes. This swelling can be painful and can lead to a blistering or crackling sensation.
If you have this condition, it is important to talk with your cardiologist or doctor as soon as you notice any symptoms of a vasospasm. You should get regular tests to make sure your symptoms aren’t a sign of something more serious, such as coronary artery disease or diabetes.
A vasospasm can be a symptom of an underlying condition, such as scleroderma, that can lead to permanent tissue damage or long-term problems. It can be a sign of an underlying disease, such as scleroderma, or it can be related to other connective tissue diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, and can lead to permanent tissue damage or short-term health problems.
