Transcript 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.
 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
 Primary
 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:
1. Cold fingers and toes
2. Color changes in your skin in
response to cold or stress (either
white or blue)
3. Numbness or tingling in the
fingers and toes (can be on the
ears or nose)
4. Stinging or throbbing pain upon
warming or stress relief and
fingers turn a bright pink or red
5. Ulcers in the tips of fingers
and/or toes
Secondary Raynaud’s Disease:
1. 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.
1. Diseases of the arteries (atherosclerosis)
2. Drugs that cause narrowing of the arteries (amphetamines,
some beta-blockers, some cancer drugs, some migraine
medications)
3. Certain autoimmune conditions (SLE-lupus, scleroderma,
sjogrens, RA)
4. Smoking
5. 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)
2. Vasodilators- topical prescription medication that relaxes the
walls of the blood vessels to provide relief (i.e. nitroglycerin)
3. Alpha Blockers- medication that counteract the actions of the
hormone that constricts the blood vessels (i.e. prasolin or
doxazosin)
4. 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.
5. Chemical Injections- physicians use chemical injected into the
sympathetic nerves to block the nerves. This procedure
sometimes needs to be repeated if symptoms persist
1.
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/SystemicDis







eases.aspx
http://www.mollysfund.org/2013/09/raynauds-disease-raynaudsphenomenon-symptoms-causes-treatments-prevention/
http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/guide154723-75.html?ic=506048
http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/library/raynaudsdisease/DS00433.html
http://www.patient.co.uk/doctor/raynauds-phenomenon-pro
http://globalbioweather.com/weather_raynauds_disease.html
http://www.omnimedicalsearch.com/oldmedicalpictures/raynaud
s.html
http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/331197-overview