Some medications increase risk of blood vessel constriction in extremities

A recent review of the medical literature has identified 12 classes of drugs and 4 main pathophysiological mechanisms that can cause a side effect whereby small arteries that supply blood to the skin constrict in response to cold, limiting blood supply. The condition is called Raynaud’s phenomenon.

“Beyond chemotherapies and beta-blockers, well known to induce Raynaud phenomenon, insights are currently emerging from a wide variety of drug classes through new pathophysiological pathways,” said Dr. Charles Khouri, lead author of the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology study.

Read the full study.

Published: 08 Mar 2016 in Society news