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Heart Disease  (Expert Forum)
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2 Questions regarding Buergers Dis. CHS and Arithmia
This forum is for questions and support regarding heart issues such as: Angina, Angioplasty, Arrhythmia, Bypass Surgery, Cardiomyopathy, Coronary Artery Disease, Defibrillator, Heart Attack, Heart Disease, High Blood Pressure, Mitral Valve Prolapse, Pacemaker, PAD, Stenosis, Stress Tests.

2 Questions regarding Buergers Dis. CHS and Arithmia

by tde, Apr 22, 2002 12:00AM
Hello,
I am 38, Male usually healthy. In 1992 I was Dig. with Buerger dis. After smoke quiting all symptoms declines and I had normal life.
I also went back on smoking for some years with NO! evident symptoms of the Buerger Dis.
Last Feb, I had a chest pain that lasted about 10 days, on the 10th day I had a frighting episode of arithmia, all chekups where O.k.
I head an Echo, a stress ECG, and a holter (minor ectopinc activity - 2 pe's and 7 sve's ).
The major holter finding was that while sleeping I had polse of 43. and I had 2 incidents of tachicardia, one of them induced by a cigarete and showed also some T segment changes on the HOlter ECG.
I have no other risk factor (LSL ~= 100, HDL ~= 32, Chols.= 150).
I do not smoke anymore but stiil have occassional chest pain and fillings of the heart missfiring.

Is there a knows conection of Buerger and any of the above symptoms?
Was I missdiag. as Buerger and maybe have some other kind of vasculities?
Where can I find additional Info about Buerger Dis. and Coronary Dis/ other major organs DIs?
Thanks

by CCF-M.D.-CRC, Apr 22, 2002 12:00AM
Dear tde,
Buerger's disease (thromboangiitis obliterans) is an inflammation of the small and medium sized arteries and veins of the hands and toes that is made worse by smoking.  It can lead to loss of fingers and/or toes if an individual with this condition persists in smoking.  It does not usually go away on its own and does not typically cause chest pain or arrhythmias.  It is very possible that you do have a different type of vasculitis that is causing the symptoms as some types of vasculitis do affect the coronary arteries as well.  A good rheumatologist or vascular medicine doctor should be able to help with the diagnosis.  

In any case I think your body is telling you that you should not be smoking.  You have 2 strikes against you and the third could be a heart attack or even sudden cardiac death!  You must stop smoking today.  You have proved you could do it before and must do it once again.  

You can get more information about vasculitis and Buerger's disease in any good internal medicine textbook such as Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine or a Rheumatology Textbook.
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