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Posts Tagged ‘Cardiovascular Disorders’

Hughes’ Syndrome and Receiving Social Security Disability

Friday, June 11th, 2010

Hughes’ syndrome is a disorder that is characterized by blood coagulation. This causes blood clots (thrombosis) in both your arteries and veins. There can also be pregnancy-related complications such as miscarriage, preterm delivery or severe preeclampsia.

The syndrome occurs due to the autoimmune production of antibodies against phospholipid (aPL), which is a cell membrane substance. In particular, the disease is characterized by antibodies that are formed against cardiolipin (anti-cardiolipin antibodies) and β2 glycoprotein I.

Primary Hughes’ syndrome refers to this disorder when it occurs in the absence of any other related disease. It is referred to as secondary Hughes’ syndrome when it happens in conjunction with other autoimmune diseases like lupus. In rare cases, Hughes’ syndrome leads to rapid organ failure that is due to generalized thrombosis. In these cases there is a high risk of death. This is termed “catastrophic Hughes’ syndrome”.

Hughes’ syndrome is named after the rheumatologist Dr. Graham R.V. Hughes who worked at the Louise Coote Lupus Unit at St Thomas’ Hospital in London. In the 1980’s, Dr. Hughes and his colleagues provided additional understanding of this disorder.

Hughes’ syndrome is known by other names. It is also referred to as antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) and antiphospholipid antibody syndrome.

Anywhere from 1 to 5% of the general population is thought to have Hughes’ syndrome. It is a major concern for women as 75 to 90% of those with this disorder are women. 10 to 25% of recurrent miscarriages are due to Hughes’ syndrome. One third of all strokes that happen to people under the age of 50 are caused by this disorder. 15 to 20% of all cases of blood clots in large veins (deep vein thrombosis) are caused by Hughes’ syndrome.

The effects you have with Hughes’ syndrome depend on where blood clots form in your body or where they travel to. A clot that forms or a traveling clot (embolus) may cause these effects:

  • Stroke
  • Recurring miscarriages or stillbirths and other complications of pregnancy
  • Blood clots that travel to you lungs (pulmonary embolism)
  • Blood clots in your legs (deep vein thrombosis).

There are other less common effects that you may experience. These include:

  • Cardiovascular disease
  • Bleeding
  • Neurological symptoms like headaches, seizures and dementia
  • Rash
  • Mental health problems like psychosis or depression
  • Movement disorder (chorea)
  • Sudden hearing loss
  • Cognitive problems like poor memory.

You may have Hughes’ Syndrome. As a result, you may need financial assistance.

Have you applied for Social Security disability benefits or disability benefits from the Social Security Administration because of the disability caused by Hughes’ syndrome? Were you denied?

If you are going to appeal the denial, here is something to remember. People who are represented in this process by a disability attorney like the one you will find at Social Security Home are approved more often that people without a lawyer.

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Dilated Cardiomyopathy and Receiving Social Security Disability

Monday, April 5th, 2010

The center of your cardiovascular system is your heart. Your heart pumps blood through your body’s blood vessels to all of your cells. Your blood delivers oxygen that your cells have to have.

Cardiomyopathy literally means “heart muscle disease”. Cardiomyopathy is the deterioration of the function of your actual heart muscle (myocardium).  This medical condition impairs your heart’s ability to pump blood.

Dilated cardiomyopathy is the most common form of this disease. It occurs when your heart’s main pumping chamber becomes dilated (enlarged), and its pumping ability becomes impaired.

Anyone at any age can be affected by dilated cardiomyopathy. This includes children and infants. However, it is most common in middle age.

Dilated cardiomyopathy is caused by the failure of your left ventricle, which is your heart’s main pumping chamber, to pump blood like a healthy heart does. What causes this to happen is not known in many cases. On the other hand, there are several things that can cause dilated cardiomyopathy. Some of these are:

  • Cocaine or alcohol abuse
  • A family history of cardiomyopathy
  • Autoimmune illnesses that affect your heart like rheumatoid arthritis
  • Coronary artery disease
  • Certain medications
  • Trace elements like arsenic, mercury or lead
  • Inherited disorders like muscular dystrophy
  • Hypertension (high blood pressure) that is not controlled
  • Infections that affect your heart muscle, such as Lyme disease or Chagas disease
  • Heart rhythm difficulties like tachycardia or atrial fibrillation.

At first, you may not experience any signs or symptoms with dilated cardiomyopathy. Eventually, when this disease causes cardiac arrhythmias or heart failure you will probably have signs and symptoms. These may include:

  • Ascites (swelling of your abdomen)
  • Nausea and lack of appetite
  • Palpitations (the sensation of fluttering, pounding or rapid heartbeats)
  • Weakness and fatigue
  • Wheezing or coughing that is ongoing
  • Decrease in alertness or problems with concentration
  • Dyspnea (shortness of breath) when you are lying down or active
  • Sudden weight gain from retaining fluid
  • Edema (swelling) in your feet, ankles and legs
  • Dizziness, fainting or lightheadedness
  • A reduction in your ability to exercise
  • A failure to thrive in children
  • Nocturia (increase in urination at night).

You or a loved one may have dilated cardiomyopathy. This disease and/or complications resulting from it may be why you are disabled and in need of financial help.

You or your loved one may have applied for financial assistance from the Social Security Administration by applying for Social Security disability benefits or disability benefits because of the disability caused by dilated cardiomyopathy and/or complications resulting from it. Were you denied?

If you or your loved one appeals the denial by the Social Security Administration, consider this carefully. People represented by a disability attorney like the one you will find at socialsecurityhome.com are approved more often than people who are without a disability lawyer.

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Aortic Valve Stenosis and Receiving Social Security Disability

Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009
List of images in Gray's Anatomy: V.
Image via Wikipedia

The aorta is the principle artery that leaves your heart. As blood leaves your heart, it goes from you left ventricle (lower chamber) through your aortic valve into your aorta. When you have aortic valve stenosis, or aortic stenosis as it is also called, your aortic valve narrows and does not open completely like it should. This inhibits blood flow from your heart into your aorta and the rest of your body.

When aortic valve stenosis develops, your heart has to work harder to get blood to the rest of your body. In time, this makes your heart weaker. It restricts the amount of blood that your heart can pump. This causes problems like dizziness and fatigue.

Fortunately, aortic valve stenosis is a rare occurrence. Men get this disease four times more often than women. Aortic valve stenosis makes up about 7% of all congenital heart disease.

There are three main causes of aortic valve stenosis. This disease can result from a complication of rheumatic fever. Rheumatic fever may cause scar tissue to form on your aortic valve, which can cause it to narrow. The second cause is congenital heart defect. Some babies are born with an aortic valve that is already narrowed, although this is rare. The third principle cause of aortic valve stenosis is calcium buildup on your aortic valve. Deposits of calcium may build up on your aortic valve with advancing age. For many people, these deposits of calcium do not cause any problems. For others, a stiffening of the leaflets of the aortic valve occurs that narrows it.

Aortic valve stenosis can range anywhere from mild to severe. If you have mild aortic valve stenosis, you may not have any signs or symptoms. If the disease is severe, you may experience:

  • Fatigue that occurs more frequently during times of exercise or activity
  • Heart palpitations (feelings of a fluttering, rapid heartbeat)
  • Chest tightness or pain (angina)
  • Heart murmur
  • Shortness of breath that occurs more frequently with exercise or exertion
  • Weakness, dizziness or fainting with activity or exercise.

You or a loved one may have aortic valve stenosis. This disease and/or complications arising from or along with it may be why you are disabled. It may be the reason why you are unable to work.

You may need help if this is true. You may need financial assistance.

Do you or your loved one plan on applying for Social Security disability benefits or disability benefits from the Social Security Administration because of the disability caused by aortic valve stenosis and/or complications resulting from or along with it? Were you or your loved one denied?

If you are going to appeal the denial by the Social Security Administration, always remember this. People who are represented by a disability lawyer like the one at socialsecurityhome.com are approved more often than those who are without representation.

Please do not hesitate. Contact the disability attorney at socialsecurityhome.com, today.

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Congestive Heart Failure and Receiving Social Security Disability

Monday, November 30th, 2009

The term, “congestive heart failure,” comes from blood congesting or backing up into your abdomen, lungs, liver and lower extremities. Congestive heart failure is a medical condition in which the pumping function of your heart to deliver oxygen rich blood to your body is not sufficient to meet your body’s needs. Your heart becomes too weak or too stiff to fill and pump efficiently.

Your “failing” heart keeps working but not as efficiently as it should. As blood flow out of the heart slows, blood returning to the heart through the veins backs up, causing congestion in the tissues.

Congestive heart failure usually develops slowly. It is a chronic, long-term condition. Congestive heart failure will need attention for the rest of your life.

However, it is possible to experience a sudden onset of signs and symptoms that is known as acute heart failure. Some of the effects of congestive heart failure are:

  • A reduced ability to exercise
  • Swelling in your feet, ankles and legs
  • Shortness of breath
  • Weakness and fatigue
  • Abdominal swelling
  • Weight gain from water retention
  • Persistent cough or wheezing
  • Irregular or rapid heartbeat
  • Nausea and lack of appetite
  • Difficulty with concentration or alertness.

Congestive heart failure may be something that you or a loved one has to deal with. It may have developed to a point where you or your loved one is unable to hold a job. Congestive heart failure may be the cause of your disability.

If this is true, you or your loved one may need help. You may need financial assistance.

Who will you turn to for the financial help that you or your loved one needs? Where will it come from? Who can you look to?

Have you or your loved one considered applying for Social Security disability benefits or disability benefits from the Social Security Administration because of the disability caused by congestive heart failure? Have you or your loved one already done this and been denied by the Social Security Administration?

If so, you may be wondering what to do next? Do you have any recourse? What options are open to you?

One step that you or your loved one can take is to appeal the denial by the Social Security Administration. If you decide to do this, here is something important for you to think about.

You or your loved one is going to need a disability lawyer like the one you will find at socialsecurityhome.com to represent and assist you in what can prove to be a long and exasperating process. The reason why this is true is  because people who have a disability attorney on their side are approved more often than those people who do not have a lawyer.

Do not delay. This may affect you or your loved one for the rest of their life. Contact the disability attorney at socialsecurityhome.com, today.

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