Questions posted in the Neurology and Neurosurgery Forum have been answered by doctors from The Cleveland Clinic Foundation.

Subject: Re: Low blood pressure and heart pumping strength
Forum: The Neurology and Neurosurgery Forum
Topic Area: Myasthenia Gravis
Posted by CCF neuro MD MM on October 10, 1998 at 09:53:47:
In Reply to: Low blood pressure and heart pumping strength posted by Donna Dougherty on October 10, 1998 at 09:13:46:



I know MG effects VOLUNTARY muscles but wonder if there is also some impact on heart or vascular system. I have been diagnosed with occular MG with poss. mild general effects. Sleep cures most of my problems! I have had a stretch of lack of sufficient sleep and one reaction has been low blood pressure. I am 55 and normally run about average BP with occassional borderline hypertention with higher salt intake. Lately I have had episodes of BP's such as 97/48 which make me feel very restless and wiped out. Sleep improves BP which makes me wonder about effects or heart pumping action or peripheral circulation. Any relation? I also have occasional hypogylcemic episodes.


This is not a very well documented association but there have been sporadic
reports in the medical literature which point to an incidence as high as
10% of cardiac involvement in chronic myasthenia, I think that figure is
veryu high but the phenomenon has been described. Another possible cause
of low blood pressure in this context is from the use of drugs to control
myasthenia causing low blood pressure as a side effect.
Sleep as you know from experience helps MG symptoms so the fact that seems
to help with your hypotension would seem to strengthen the association.


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