Syndrome

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In 1983 Dr Graham described a condition - often known as “sticky

blood”, in which the patient was a danger of forming a blood clot or thrombosis.

Patients with the syndrome are at risk because the blood sticks together

forming blood clots. The clots plug up the veins, increasing the risk of

strokes and heart attacks. In women with the syndrome, the “sticky blood”

is unable to get through the sensitive small blood vessels to the fetus,

and there is a risk of miscarriage.

There is a strong link between people with lupus and those with

syndrome, 1 in 5 women with lupus also have syndrome. Especially

those with antiphospholipid antibody syndrome.

In some people the only symptom of syndrome is recurrent miscarriage

(often late in pregnancy). This is due to small clots affecting the placenta,

preventing vital nutrients getting to the growing baby. However, other

symptoms could include any of the following:

Headaches (migraine type)

Epilepsy

Memory loss

Blotchiness of the skin, which causes bluish discoloration of certain areas

of the body, such as the knees and wrists

syndrome is also an important cause of thrombotic disease,

including thrombosis of the leg or arm or of any internal organ. As a result

there is a possibility it can cause strokes and heart attacks.

Fortunately, Huges syndrome can be detected by a simple blood test,

and correct treatment is effective – usually very effective. The aim of

the treatment is to thin the blood – the commonly used medicines being

either low dose (‘junior’) aspirin, heparin or warfarin.

For many thousands of patients, one “junior or baby” aspirin a day (approximately

75-80 mg, or one quarter of a regular aspirin) is sufficient to hold off

clotting. It certainly is the case for many women with Syndrome

who have had previous miscarriages.

If you have already had a blood clot or a heart attack caused by sticky

blood, then you may very likely be given another form of blood thinner,

such as Warfarin.

syndrome is very easy to treat and the outlook is very good.

It is a disease that needs to be monitored, but should not consume you

with fear. There are much, much worse diseases to be diagnosed with ..

at least with Huges, the treatment is simple.

Extremely bad headaches are usually a sign that the syndrome

is giving your body some trouble. So your doctor will need to know if you

are having bad headaches, so he can adjust your medications. It is also

very advisable to NOT get pregnant while taking Warfarin as the drug warfarin

is toxic to a developing fetus.

So if you are taking it, use birth control, and when you do plan on

getting pregnant and carrying a child, the doctor can give you injections

of heparin that will help your blood, but will not harm the baby.

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