Microvascular disease and oxygen therapy

[JonathanH]

It isn't obvious to me that bad MVA periods would be alleviated bybreathing oxygen. However, does anybody know whether oxygen can help?

I am wondering if home oxygen might be a way of improving my bad nights?

Thank you.

Jonathan

[Milkfairy Heart Star]

Hi Jonathan,

I have been prescribed oxygen by my Cardiologist to help me sleep at night and to use during my severe vasospastic angina episodes.

A Respiratory Consultant had to approve my oxygen, it's an unusual use of oxygen. My GP had to complete the Home oxygen order form, HOOF.

My arterial blood gases were checked beforehand. It's important to have your oxygen prescribed as it can be harmful in some circumstances.

I experience most of my coronary vasospasms at night or at rest. I also have neurological symptoms with my vasospastic angina

Oxygen therapy is a treatment for cluster headaches.

I use a portable oxygen concentrator when flying or going up in the mountains. This helps prevents my angina.

I also have a confirmed diagnosis which helped me, to be prescribed the oxygen, as well as being seen by a Neurologist.

You might be interested in this research study taking place at St Thomas's Hospital.

isrctn.com/ISRCTN94728379

[JonathanH in reply to Milkfairy]

Thank you *very* much, Milkfairy. This is even more helpful than your usual advice, if such a thing should be possible.

I haven't ever seen a microvascular specialist on the NHS. In April or so a supportive GP referred me to Dr Sainsbury and the web booking portal couldn't do better than put me on the waiting list for the waiting list. I must phone to check that I am still on the list: my wife found she had dropped off one of these lists into a black hole.

When I get to see Dr Sainsbury or alternative, I shall certainly ask if I, like you, can have an oxygen prescription for the night.

Thank you also for the link to the St Thomas's study. How magnificent! A thorough physiological / pharmacological study that will ultimately be very very useful, even if it is only the start of the beginning of this line of enquiry.

[Milkfairy Heart Star in reply to JonathanH]

You can contact the research team directly yourself.

The contact details of the researchers are at the bottom of the link.

You can then ask your GP to refer you.

There is also another trial taking place PRIZE trial into microvascular angina. There are more centres involved. You'll see them listed at the beginning of the link.

clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show...

More Cardiologist in the NHS are aware of microvascular and vasospastic angina.