Fibromuscular Dysplasia Awareness Month

Fibromuscular Dysplasia Awareness Month

Fibromuscular Dysplasia Awareness Month is observed each year during the month of May. FMD, or Fibromuscular Dysplasia, is a rare medical condition that is associated with abnormal cellular growth in the walls of their medium and large arteries. This can cause the arteries with the abnormal growth to look beaded. The arteries may also become narrow. The awareness color associated with Fibromuscular Dysplasia is dark blue. Wear a blue enamel awareness ribbon pin, fabric ribbon, or blue silicone awareness wristband bracelet to recognize this important awareness month.

Vague symptoms of the disease, including high blood pressure, headache, and pulsation tinnitus (a swooshing noise in the ears), make it tough to diagnose. And many patients are asymptomatic, with their condition discovered by accident during a radiology scan for another health issue. For this reason, it is important to wear blue to recognize Fibromuscular Dysplasia Awareness Month to call attention to this condition.

What is fibromuscular dysplasia? Learn More During Fibromuscular Dysplasia Awareness Month

Fibromuscular Dysplasia (FMD) is the abnormal development or growth of cells in the walls of arteries that can cause the vessels to narrow or bulge. The carotid arteries, which pass through the neck and supply blood to the brain, are commonly affected. Arteries within the brain and kidneys also can be affected. A characteristic “string of beads” pattern caused by the alternating narrowing and enlarging of the artery can block or reduce blood flow to the brain, causing a stroke or mini-stroke.

Some people experience no symptoms of the disease while others may have:

FMD is most often seen in people 25 to 50 years of age and affects women more often than men. More than one family member may be affected by the disease. The cause of FMD is unknown.

An angiogram can detect the degree of narrowing or obstruction of the artery and identify changes such as a tear (dissection) or weak area (aneurysm) in the vessel wall. FMD can also be diagnosed using computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, or ultrasound.

Treatment for Fibromuscular Dysplasia

There is no standard treatment for FMD. Any treatment to improve blood flow is based on the arteries affected and the progression and severity of the disease. The carotid arteries should be tested if FMD is found elsewhere in the body since carotid involvement is linked to an increased risk of stroke. People with minimal narrowing may take a daily anti-platelet such as an aspirin or an anticoagulant to thin the blood and reduce the chances that a clot might form. Medications such as aspirin can also be taken for headache and neck pain associated with FMD.

People with arterial disease who smoke should be encouraged to quit as smoking worsens the disease. Further treatment may include angioplasty, in which a small balloon is inserted through a catheter and inflated to open the artery. Small tubes called stents may be inserted to keep arteries open. Surgery may be needed to treat aneurysms that have the potential to rupture and cause bleeding within the brain.

Currently there is no cure for FMD. Medicines and angioplasty can reduce the risk of initial or recurrent stroke. In rare cases, FMD-related aneurysms can burst and bleed into the brain, causing stroke, permanent nerve damage, or death.