The APS Foundation of America, Inc. is the only United States nonprofit health agency dedicated to bringing national awareness to Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome (APS), the major cause of multiple miscarriages, thrombosis, young strokes and heart attacks. We are a volunteer run, community based 501(c)3 non-profit Public Charity organization and is dedicated to fostering and facilitating joint efforts in the areas of education, support, public awareness, research and patient services. For more information, please go to our website at http://www.apsfa.org.
6.22.2009
Signs and Symptoms of Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome: Get in the Know and Get in the Flow!
Signs and Symptoms of Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome: Get in the Know and Get in the Flow!
The Antiphospholipid (APS) Antibody Syndrome Foundation of America, Inc. (APSFA) urges the public, as well as the medical community, to learn more about this rare disease. APS Awareness Month runs throughout June.
APS is an autoimmune disorder. Such illnesses occur when the body’s tissues are attacked by its own substances. In APS, the body recognizes certain components of blood or cell membranes as foreign substances and produces antibodies--a specialized protein the body uses to prevent infection--against them. It is the major cause of strokes in persons under 40 years old, blood clots (thrombosis) – which can lead to heart attack or stroke – vision disturbances and repeated, otherwise unexplainable miscarriages.
While more general practitioners have become familiar with APS in the last few years, many physicians – and most of the public – are still unfamiliar with both its symptoms and the damage it can cause.People who arrive at emergency rooms and doctor’s offices with the following issues should be tested for APS:
• Heart attacks and strokes in those under 50 • Transient ischemic attacks, known as “mini-strokes.” TIAs last 10 minutes or less and leave no permanent damage. • Multiple miscarriages and stroke • Blood clots in the lung (called pulmonary emboli) or deep veins in arms and legs (called deep vein thrombosis, or DVT) • Diminishing mental alertness, such as loss of concentration, memory loss and difficulty with reading comprehension • Migraine headaches • Partial or total vision loss • Dizziness • Seizures
APS shares symptoms with more well-known disorders such as multiple sclerosis and lupus. Diagnosis and treatment delays can cause serious, sometimes fatal complications. A simple blood test can determine whether someone has APS.
The APS Foundation of America, Inc. is the only United States health agency dedicated specifically to bringing national awareness to APS. We are a volunteer-run, community-based, non-profit organization dedicated to spreading awareness and support to those with the disease.
Knowing more about APS can make all the difference. Get in the know and Get in the Flow!
For more information Contact: Christina "Tina" Pohlman at Phone: 608-782-2626 Website Address:www.apsfa.org. Email Address: apsfa@apsfa.org
APS Often the Culprit Behind Heart Attack and Stroke in Younger Adults
The Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome Foundation of America, Inc. (APSFA) urges the public, as well as the medical community, to learn more about this rare disease. APS Awareness Month runs throughout June.
APS is an autoimmune disorder. Such illnesses occur when the body’s tissues are attacked by its own substances.
In APS, the body recognizes certain components of blood or cell membranes as foreign substances and produces antibodies--a specialized protein the body uses to prevent infection--against them. It is the major cause of strokes in persons under 40 years old, blood clots (thrombosis) – which can lead to heart attack or stroke – vision disturbances and repeated, otherwise unexplainable miscarriages.
A heart attack generally occurs when a coronary artery clot blocks the supply of blood and oxygen to heart muscle. There are more than one million heart attack sufferers annually in the U.S.; about half of those stricken die. Unfortunately, many heart attack victims wait two hours or more after symptoms begin before they seek medical help. This delay can result in death or lasting heart damage.
A stroke, or "brain attack," occurs when blood circulation to the brain fails. Brain cells can die from decreased blood flow and the resulting lack of oxygen. There are two broad categories of stroke: those caused by a blockage of blood flow (called “ischemic” strokes) and those caused by bleeding. Ischemic strokes account for about 80 percent of all strokes. They usually are not fatal.
A transient ischemic attack, or TIA, is an ischemic stroke that occurs when the brain’s blood supply is interrupted briefly (10 minutes or less). There generally is no lasting damage, but recent research shows that about half of people who experience a TIA have a full-blown stroke within 24 hours.
APS is the leading cause of heart and brain attacks in people under 50. If you have a personal or family history of heart attack or stroke before age 50, ask your primary care physician to test you for APS. It requires only a simple blood test.
The APS Foundation of America is the only United States health agency dedicated specifically to bringing national awareness to APS. We are a volunteer-run, community-based, non-profit organization dedicated to spreading awareness and support to those with the disease.
Knowing more about APS can make all the difference. Get in the know and Get in the Flow!
For more information Contact: Christina "Tina" Pohlman at Phone: 608-782-2626 Website Address:www.apsfa.orgEmail Address:apsfa@apsfa.org
The Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome Foundation of America, Inc. (APSFA) urges the public, as well as the medical community, to learn more about this rare disease. APS Awareness Month runs throughout June.
APS is an autoimmune disorder. Such illnesses occur when the body’s tissues are attacked by its own substances. In APS, the body recognizes certain components of blood or cell membranes as foreign substances and produces antibodies--a specialized protein the body uses to prevent infection--against them. It is the major cause of strokes in persons under 40 years old, blood clots (thrombosis) – which can lead to heart attack or stroke – vision disturbances and repeated, otherwise unexplainable miscarriages.
Even otherwise-healthy women are at higher risk of developing blood clots and preeclampsia, a blood pressure disorder that occurs only during pregnancy. In women with APS, blood clots can form in the placenta and starve the baby of nutrition. Placental clots can cause fetal growth problems and distress, premature birth, or miscarriage. Some women with APS have difficulty becoming pregnant at all.Babies born to women with APS often are delivered between 30 to 35 weeks gestation, or about 5 to 10 weeks early. Low birth weight – between 3 to 5 pounds – is not uncommon, although the babies generally are healthy and thrive after delivery.
Physicians often suggest that women of childbearing age who also are susceptible to blood clots remain indefinitely on a course of low-dose aspirin therapy. Aspirin is a readily available, inexpensive drug to help guard against blood clots. As with gestational diabetes, in which the illness resolves itself once the baby is delivered, it is possible for some women with clotting issues during pregnancy to return to full health post-birth.
APS can be diagnosed with a simple blood test. It frequently is found in conjunction with lupus, another autoimmune disorder that primarily targets women.
Knowing more about APS can make all the difference. Get in the know and Get in the Flow!
The APSFA is the only United States health agency dedicated specifically to bringing national awareness to APS. We are a volunteer-run, community-based, non-profit organization.
For more information Contact: Christina "Tina" Pohlman at Phone: 608-782-2626 Website Address:www.apsfa.org. Email Address: apsfa@apsfa.org
The Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome (APS) Foundation of America, Inc. (APSFA) urges the public, as well as the medical community, to learn more about this rare disease. APS Awareness Month runs throughout June.
APS is an autoimmune disorder. Such illnesses occur when the body’s tissues are attacked by its own substances. In APS, the body recognizes certain components of blood or cell membranes as foreign substances and produces antibodies--a specialized protein the body uses to prevent infection--against them. It is the major cause of strokes in persons under 40 years old, blood clots (thrombosis) – which can lead to heart attack or stroke – vision disturbances and repeated, otherwise unexplainable miscarriages.
APS often is found in conjunction with lupus, another autoimmune disorder that primarily targets women.Knowing more about APS can make all the difference.
Get in the know and Get in the Flow!
The APSFA is the only United States health agency dedicated specifically to bringing national awareness to APS. We are a volunteer-run, community-based, non-profit organization.
For more information Contact: Christina "Tina" Pohlman at Phone: 608-782-2626Website Address:www.apsfa.org. Email Address: apsfa@apsfa.org
Attending Rheumatologist, Hospital for Special SurgeryProfessor of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical CollegeDirector, Barbara Volcker Center for Women and Rheumatic Disease
In this presentation, Dr. Lockshin provides an explanation of antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) and how it can be treated. He then answers questions submitted by patients in attendance.
Volume 13 of the APSFA Newsletter - "Antiphospho...What?" is NOW Available!
Hello!!
The SPRING/SUMMER 2009 volume of our quarterly newsletter, "Antiphospho...What??" is ready to be downloaded. You can download it at the following link: http://www.apsfa.org/docs/APSFAVol13SprSum2009.pdf
The next volume will be coming out in late Summer, early Fall, 2009.
Please let us know if there are any topics that you'd like our Medical Advisors to cover in their articles. We try to request topics that people are emailing about or that are discussed on our the forum. So if there's anything you'd like to see, please let us know and we'll pass it along to the medical advisors.
We are still in need of patient stories (esp about Pregnancy Loss, Men and Teens or Children), recipes, poems, related book reviews, and anything else you think would be of interest for upcoming newsletters. (book reviews, poems, recipes, articles written by family members, etc.) Please submit articles to the following email address: articles@apsfa.org.
If you have an idea and are not sure if it would fit, please feel free to contact us through our contact page on the website, or email us using the email address below. We are open to any suggestions. Without your help we would not be able to include an APS patient's story in each of our newsletters.
Thank you to those people who have submitted articles. If you have submitted an article and we have not used it yet, we will be using it in the near future.
We could also use articles written by medical professionals or medical students. Please contact us if you are interested.
When: Thursday April 30, 2009 from 6:00PM - 8PM EST
Why: APS can affect any organ, potentially causing blood clots, strokes, miscarriages, or other symptoms. It can occur alone or may be associated with an immune disorder like lupus.
This one-session workshop provides an essential overview of diagnosis and treatment, and the opportunity to share your experiences with others coping with APS.
Speakers will be Michael Lockshin, MD and Jillian Rose, LMSW
The APS Foundation of America, Inc will have materials present.
We just added several new designs in our CafePress store. If there's a design you like and it's not on an item (like a button, hat, sticker...etc) please email Heidii at heidi@apsfa.org and she will add it. Our Cafe Press Store is located here: http://www.cafepress.com/apsfoundation
100% of the profits from these products will go to the APS Foundation of America, Inc. APS Stands for Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome, which is a blood disorder that causes blood clots, strokes in young people and multiple miscarriages in women. The APS Foundation of America, Inc. is dedicated to fostering and facilitating joint efforts in the areas of education, public awareness, research and patient services in an effective and ethical manner. Thanks for looking!
Volume 12 of the APSFA Newsletter - "Antiphospho...What?" is NOW Available!
Volume 12 of the APSFA Newsletter - "Antiphospho...What?" is NOW Available!
Hello!!
The WINTER/SPRING 2009 volume of our quarterly newsletter, "Antiphospho...What??" is ready to be downloaded. You can download it at the following link: http://www.apsfa.org/docs/APSFAVol12WinSpr2009.pdf
The next volume will be coming out in late Spring, early Summer, 2009.
Please let us know if there are any topics that you'd like our Medical Advisors to cover in their articles. We try to request topics that people are emailing about or that are discussed on our the forum. So if there's anything you'd like to see, please let us know and we'll pass it along to the medical advisors.
We are still in need of patient stories (esp about Pregnancy Loss, Men and Teens or Children), recipes, poems, related book reviews, and anything else you think would be of interest for upcoming newsletters. (book reviews, poems, recipes, articles written by family members, etc.) Please submit articles to the following email address: articles@apsfa.org.
If you have an idea and are not sure if it would fit, please feel free to contact us through our contact page on the website, or email us using the email address below. We are open to any suggestions. Without your help we would not be able to include an APS patient's story in each of our newsletters.
Thank you to those people who have submitted articles. If you have submitted an article and we have not used it yet, we will be using it in the near future.
We could also use articles written by medical professionals or medical students. Please contact us if you are interested.
