Raynaud’s disease: What is it? How does it affect the heart?

What is Raynaud’s condition?

When you’re exposed to the cold or stress, it’s normal for the body to divert blood away from your extremities (such as your fingers, toes, nose and ears) to the vital organs in your core.

In Raynaud’s (sometimes called Raynaud’s phenomenon, syndrome, condition or disease), this normal response is overactive.

Small blood vessels in the extremities such as the fingers go into spasm, restricting blood flow. Sometimes your ears, nose or nipples can also be affected.

Symptoms of Raynaud’s

The restricted blood flow to fingers or toes leads to colour changes in the skin:

• white (reduced blood flow)
• blue (low oxygen)
• red (blood returning).

You may feel numbness during the white or blue phase.

You may feel pain or a pins and needles sensation when the blood flows back during the red phase.

What causes Raynaud’s?

Primary Raynaud’s

Primary Raynaud’s is when there is no underlying cause. It’s simply how some people’s nervous systems react to cold or stress and this often runs in families.

This is the most common form of Raynaud’s, accounting for around 90 per cent of cases.

Secondary Raynaud’s

Secondary Raynaud’s has an underlying cause, which can include:

• Side-effects of medicines such as beta-blockers and drugs used to treat ADHD.
• Using drugs such as amphetamines, nicotine or cocaine.
• An underlying disease or condition.

Diseases that cause Raynaud’s

Secondary Raynaud’s can be caused by:

• Autoimmune and connective tissues diseases, such as:
  • scleroderma
  • lupus
  • myositis
  • Sjögren’s syndrome.

• Other inflammatory conditions, such as:
  • rheumatoid arthritis
  • psoriatic arthritis
  • eczema or psoriasis affecting the hands.

Blood and clotting disorders, which thicken the blood, may also trigger it.

Can you die from Raynaud’s?

You can be reassured that you cannot die from Raynaud’s disease.

Rarely, in very severe cases, secondary Raynaud’s can lead to tissue damage in the fingers, toes or other extremities but this does not happen in primary Raynaud’s.

If you have secondary Raynaud’s, the underlying condition causing it may come with its own health risks.

Is Raynaud’s linked to heart problems?

Does Raynaud’s cause heart disease?

Cardiovascular disease and Raynaud’s can be 2 effects of the same cause, but one does not cause the other.

For example, an inflammatory condition may cause both heart issues and Raynaud’s – but they are parallel effects. Heart problems do not cause Raynaud’s and Raynaud’s does not cause heart problems.

Can Raynaud’s cause chest pain?

No, Raynaud’s does not cause chest pain.

Can Raynaud’s cause heart palpitations?

There is a link between experiencing heart palpitations and having Raynaud’s.

Raynaud’s is partly due to overactivity of the nervous system, which also controls heart rate. So, people who are prone to Raynaud’s may also be prone to palpitations.

Can Raynaud’s affect blood pressure?

No, high blood pressure can make people more sensitive to Raynaud’s because their vessels may already be narrower, but Raynaud’s does not cause high blood pressure.

Diagnosis of Raynaud’s

If you think you have Raynaud’s or are experiencing Raynaud-like symptoms, speak to your GP.

They may give you a simple blood test, known as an ANA test (antinuclear antibodies), to screen for underlying autoimmune conditions.

If the test is positive, they will refer you to a rheumatology or Raynaud’s clinic.

If you experience new Raynaud’s symptoms after starting heart medicines such as beta-blockers, you should speak to your doctor.

Raynaud’s treatment

Most people can ease Raynaud’s symptoms through self-management, taking such actions as:

• Keeping warm with thermal layers of clothes, gloves, hand warmers and hot water bottles.
• Avoiding rapid temperature changes.
• Managing emotional stress.
• Quitting smoking – because nicotine tightens blood vessels.
• Eating a healthy diet and doing regular physical activity to keep blood flowing.

Get more tips on managing Raynaud’s symptoms from the specialist charity Scleroderma & Raynaud’s UK.

Sometimes medical treatment is needed:

• Calcium channel blockers, such as nifedipine, are normally the first medication given.
• Medicines that relax blood vessels, such as sildenafil (Viagra), can be added if the first treatment does not help.
• Intravenous (IV) treatments, given in a hospital setting, under the guidance of a rheumatologist, are reserved for severe cases.

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