Raynaud’s Disease or Raynaud’s Phenomenon By: Garrett Wolf Anatomy and Physiology 1st Hour

What is Raynaud’s Disease? Raynaud’s Disease is a disorder of the blood vessels, usually in the fingers and toes. It causes the blood vessels to narrow when you are cold or feeling stressed and cuts off blood circulation to the body’s extremities.

Raynaud’s Disease can be either a primary or secondary disease. The capillaries that are found within the body’s extremities (i.e. fingers, toes, ears, nose) overreact to the cold or stress and undergo a vasospasm. Raynaud’s Disease can be either a primary or secondary disease. Vasospasm- when blood vessels spasm and lead to a constricted blood flow

Distinguishing between primary and secondary Raynaud’s Disease Younger age (<30, but can be any age); generally female; genetic component (30% have an affected first-degree relative). No symptoms/signs of underlying disease; no tissue necrosis or gangrene; normal nail fold capillaries. Normal ESR; negative antineutrophil antibodies Normally no need to seek treatment Secondary Older age (>30, but can be any age); less common (10-20%). Symptoms and signs of underlying disease; tightness of finger skin; more severe pain; digital ischaemia (digital pitting scars, ulceration, or gangrene); abnormal nail fold capillaries. Raised ESR; positive antineutrophil antibodies or anti-extractable nuclear antigen antibodies.

Symptoms and Signs of Raynaud’s Disease Primary Raynaud’s Disease: Cold fingers and toes Color changes in your skin in response to cold or stress (either white or blue) Numbness or tingling in the fingers and toes (can be on the ears or nose) Stinging or throbbing pain upon warming or stress relief and fingers turn a bright pink or red Ulcers in the tips of fingers and/or toes Secondary Raynaud’s Disease: Same reactions as Primary Raynaud’s Disease, but people can expect symptoms similar to arthritis, a rash, or a thickening or hardening of the skin.

Causes of Raynaud’s Disease Raynaud’s Disease can be caused by various factors and also depends if it is the primary or secondary version of the disease. Diseases of the arteries (atherosclerosis) Drugs that cause narrowing of the arteries (amphetamines, some beta-blockers, some cancer drugs, some migraine medications) Certain autoimmune conditions (SLE-lupus, scleroderma, sjogrens, RA) Smoking Repeated injury or usage (i.e., typing, piano, heavy use of hand tools)

Is there a cure? There is no current cure for Raynaud’s Disease, however there are many ways to help prevent/treat the disease once you have it. Calcium channel blockers- prescription medication that help enlarge the blood vessels (i.e. nifedipine or diltiazem) Vasodilators- topical prescription medication that relaxes the walls of the blood vessels to provide relief (i.e. nitroglycerin) Alpha Blockers- medication that counteract the actions of the hormone that constricts the blood vessels (i.e. prasolin or doxazosin) Surgeries or medical procedures- nerve surgery to cut the sympathetic nerves in your hands and feet to help interrupt their exaggerated response to temperature shifts. Chemical Injections- physicians use chemical injected into the sympathetic nerves to block the nerves. This procedure sometimes needs to be repeated if symptoms persist

Random Facts About Raynaud’s Disease Approximately 1 in 20, or about 5.00%, of Americans have Raynaud’s disease which equals about 13.6 million people. Raynaud’s Disease is most often found in women and people living in cold places. Raynaud’s Disease was first discovered by a French doctor named Maurice Raynaud who lived from 1834- 1881. The first case was found in 1862. Raynaud defined the first case as “episodic, symmetric, acral vasospasm characterized by pallor, cyanosis, suffusion, and a sense of fullness or tautness, which may be painful.”

Extreme Cases of Raynaud’s Disease If the Raynaud’s Disease symptoms prevail for long enough it may lead to digital infarction and gangrene with loss of the tissue of the finger pulp or distal phalanx. The skin may become chronically ischaemic and ulcerate. The digit(s) may lose viability and require amputation in the very worst cases. Raynaud’s Disease with necrosis (gangrene) forming in the fingers.

Works Cited Page http://www.assh.org/Public/HandConditions/Pages/SystemicDiseases.aspx http://www.mollysfund.org/2013/09/raynauds-disease-raynauds-phenomenon-symptoms-causes-treatments-prevention/ http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/guide-154723-75.html?ic=506048 http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/library/raynauds-disease/DS00433.html http://www.patient.co.uk/doctor/raynauds-phenomenon-pro http://globalbioweather.com/weather_raynauds_disease.html http://www.omnimedicalsearch.com/oldmedicalpictures/raynauds.html http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/331197-overview