Cold hands and feet

[fergusthegreat]

Hi,

2.1/2 years ago I suffered an ACS resulting in a mid LAD stent. I was lucky and suffered no heart damage with a LVEF of 57%.

I have been fine since the stenting but have recently started to experience cold hands and feet.

I know this can be a symptom of heart failure but I suffer no breathlessness and have excellent cardiovascular fitness so I don't think it's that.

I have strong pedal pulses in both feet so I think that PAD is also unlikely.

Apart from raynards disease does anyone else suffer this or have any idea about a possible cause?

[Lezzers]

My husband has severe raynaulds disease & his hands & feet are always cold, he had raynaulds years before he was diagnosed with heart failure. I believe cold hands & feet are a result of the medication taken for heart failure. Are you on beta blockers? Raynauds is due to circulation problems and apparently has no connection to any heart condition. That's an excellent EF reading btw.

[Milkfairy Heart Star in reply to Lezzers]

Hi Lezzers

Raynauds Phenomenon can be associated with other heart conditions such as vasospastic angina.

Beta blockers can make coronary artery spasms worse and effect your whole cardiovascular system including making Raynauds and migraine worse.

My Raynauds is better since I was prescribed calcium channel blockers to treat my vasospastic angina.

Still need to wear socks in bed and my multiple layers to keep warm.

When I was prescribed beta blockers I ended up in CCU for 5 days.

[Lezzers in reply to Milkfairy]

Thanks Milkfairy. That is interesting, Kevin had his isobard monitrate reduced to to try & get his BP up & ithatcimmediately made his raynaulds far worse. We were told by his nurse that there is no connection which seemed a bit strange as raynaulds is caused by narrowing of the small blood vessels (I believe!!) and surely circulation issues are connected to the heart?? He's on bisoprolol, albeit a very low dose as he had 42/44 (can't remember exact figure) vt's in a 6 month period. Fortunately, they were self terminating but don't want to risk his ICD kicking in, we'd rather that was a last resort & not a first resort. Do wish Kevin would wear socks & gloves to bed but of course its not very manly!!! Why did you end up in ccu?

[Milkfairy Heart Star in reply to Lezzers]

Lezzers you are quite correct.

Vasomotion disorders of the cardiovascular system can affect small blood vessels and coronary arteries.

The nurse is not alone in her lack of understanding of these inter related conditions.

My Prof world leading expert in vasomotion disorders such as microvascular and vasospastic angina said most definitely my Raynauds and migraine were all related to the fact all the blood vessels in my body go into spasm.

The beta blockers made my coronary artery spasms worse I have ST elevations and depressions so I need to be treated with IV nitrates. It's very similar to unstable angina and acute coronary syndrome except no stents for me as my arteries are clear.

Oh and it hurts alot so I end up on a patient controlled analgesia system with morphine.

It can be tricky finding the right combination of medications that work best. I have issues of balancing my BP too.

I have 2 hot water bottles at night winter and summer too!

[Lezzers in reply to Milkfairy]

Do you take isobard monitrate? Would/could that help? I'm sorry to say I know absolutely nothing about your condition but that's what Kevin takes because of unstable angina, they have also given him morphine for it before now

[Milkfairy Heart Star in reply to Lezzers]

Hi Lezzers

Don't worry you are in good company many Cardiologists don't know much either!

I take Isosorbide mononitrate extended release tablets and patches. The spray I don't use as I get worse rebound pain.

Many of the medications I am on are used to treat high blood pressure, heart failure or angina due to blockages. The aim is to relax my blood vessels to try and prevent them going into spasm.

There is no alternative as so little is known about how to treat the condition.

[Lezzers in reply to Milkfairy]

I hope the medication is effective for you & that you're more out of pain then you are in it xx

[Milkfairy Heart Star in reply to Lezzers]

Thank you.

I hope your Kevin feels more at ease soon.

Also that you find time to take care of yourself too.

[jimmyq]

Are you on Beat Blockers? They made my hands and feet feel cold.

[fergusthegreat in reply to jimmyq]

No just statins, clopidogrel and an ACE inhibitor

[Hidden]

Have you ever checked side effects of these "big gun" meds?

I was on some of them a few years ago myself.

I often say, if the "symptom" came after you started taking these, investigate the side effect lists. Polypharmacy can complicate a picture.

Do you happen to have a lower blood pressure?

Are you fairly thin/athletic?

Does your hand change colour i.e. going red/blue/purple?

Does blood pool in your hands when they are lower than the level of your heart?

If you're over a certain age group, other illness can hit you, too.

I wear gloves at home, I kid you not.

[fergusthegreat in reply to Hidden]

My blood pressure averages around 115/75 which I don't think is that low.

I am of an athletic build but have no blood pooling or color change issues.

[eddie-1234]

Both myself and another guy I know *both* developed cold hands and feet only a few months after getting a stent from the same cardiologist. The other guy received a stent in an emergency heart attack procedure. I did not have a heart attack. Never had any angina. I had one stent installed in mLAD to reduce blockage.

My family doctor has no explanation for cold hands and feet. I wear socks at night, two shirts during the day, and sometimes cut-off gloves when working. No purple hands.

I am tall and skinny. Normal blood pressure. No diabetes. No BP meds. No blockers. I exercise on a stair stepper or rowing machine five times per week.

I take 40MG atorvastatin and two baby aspirin daily.

Suggestions are appreciated on what could cause cold hands and feet?

-Eddie