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WHEN THE BAROMETRIC PRESSURE IS CHANGING I FEEL LIKE CRAP WITH ALL SYMPTOMS WORSENING. LOOKS LIKE IT REALLY MESSES WITH BLOOD FLOW AND VESSELS IN NEGATIVE WAYS. WHERE THIS STUDY WAS DONE IN IRELAND--IS IT IRELAND THAT HAS THE VERY HIGH MS RATE? JUST FOOD FOR THOUGHT. ADD TO THE MIX.


Periods of low atmospheric pressure are associated with high abdominal aortic aneurysm rupture rates in Northern Ireland.

D. W. Harkin, M. O'Donnell, J. Butler, P. H. Blair, J. M. Hood, and A. A. B. Barros D'Sa

Regional Vascular Surgery Unit, Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast.D. W. Harkin: d.w.harkin@qub.ac.uk
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Abstract

Seasonal and circadian variation in the incidence of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (RAAA) has been reported. We explored the role of atmospheric pressure changes on rupture incidence and its relationship to cardiovascular risk factors. During a three year-period, 1st April 1998 and 31st March 2001, data was prospectively acquired on 144 Ruptured Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (RAAA) presenting to the Regional Vascular Surgery Unit at the Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast, Northern Ireland. For each patient the chronology of acute onset of symptoms and presentation to the regional vascular unit was recorded, along with details of standard cardiovascular risk factors. During the same period meteorological data including atmospheric pressure and air temperature were recorded daily at the regional meteorological research unit, Armagh. We then analyzed the monthly mean values for daily rupture incidence in relation to the monthly values for atmospheric pressure, pressure change and temperature. Furthermore atmospheric pressure on the day of rupture, and day preceding rupture, were also analyzed in relation to days without rupture presentation and between individual ruptures for various cardiovascular risk factors. Data demonstrated a significant monthly variation in aneurysm rupture frequency, (p<0.03, ANOVA). There was also a significant monthly variation in mean barometric atmospheric pressure, (p<0.0001, ANOVA), months with high rupture frequency also exhibiting low average pressures in the months of April (0.24 +/- 0.04 ruptures per day and 1007.78 +/- 1.23 mB) and September (0.16 +/- 0.04 ruptures per day and 1007.12 +/- 1.14 mB), respectively. The average barometric pressures were found to be significantly lower on those days when ruptures occurred (n=1127) compared to days when ruptures did not occur (n=969 days), (1009.98 +/- 1.11 versus 1012.09 +/- 0.41, p<0.05). Full data on risk factors was available on 103 of the 144 rupture patients and was further analyzed. Interestingly, RAAA with a known history of hypertension, (n=43), presented on days with significantly lower atmospheric pressure than those without, (n=60), (1008.61 +/- 2.16 versus 1012.14 +/- 1.70, p<0.05). Further analysis of ruptures grouped into those occurring on days above or below mean annual atmospheric pressure 1013.25 (approximately 1 atmosphere), by Chi-square test, revealed three cardiovascular risk factors significantly associated with low-pressure rupture, (p<0.05). Data represents mean +/- SEM, statistical comparisons with Student t-test and ANOVA. These data demonstrate a significant association between periods of low barometric pressure and high incidence of ruptured aneurysm, especially in those patients with known hypertension. The association between rupture incidence and barometric pressure warrants further study as it may influence the timing of elective AAA repair

Nice find Blossom, this really is important research.

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Any ideas on why periods of low pressure, rather than high pressure, are significantly associated with high incidence of arterial aneurysm rupture? I wonder if the same would hold true for venous aneurysms?

Low barometric pressure increases my feelings of lightheadedness and muscle fatigue three-fold. I've learned it's useless to even try and workout during those days/times. Glad (and sorry) to see there's a scientificstudy showing I'm not an anomoly.

poet, idon't know about the venous but i'd say pressure and the effect it has on most things i don't see how it wouldn't effect the veins in some way. i know that besides feeling like an all around heaviness and miserable every symptom magnified my legs get hit the worst.

maybe a way of telling if the veins are affected would to pay attention to vericose veins in the legs. to maybe see if they're more prominent or thumping or whatever vericose veins do. i don't have vericose veins not even spider veins to keep an eye on.

maybe if someone reading this has them they might pay special attention to that and let us know. or perhaps andrew fletcher's thoughts. the inclined bed therapy effect on them and the before and after pictures are impressive. andrew if you read this what's your thoughts or input?

i have always advocated my thoughts that we need doctors from many walks of medicine right?---------------now we gotta get the weathermen in on this too maybe!! a little humor.-----------but, i've been told there is usually a little truth in humor.

One of the therapies used for haemorrhoids / piles which are varicose veins, is to fill the bath up with water and sit in it for a while. The logic here is that sitting immersed in deep water increases the pressure to force the swollen veins back, the same applies for varicose veins in other regions of the body, though this is a temporary fix. The last report on the IBT Forum is interesting as it relates to a person with ms swimming and complaining about increased head pressure as a result. http://www.inclinedbedtherapy.com/index ... Itemid=140

Low and High Pressure
Air pressure is not uniform across the Earth however. The normal range of the Earth's air pressure is from 980 millibars (mb) to 1050 mb. These differences are the result of low and high air pressure systems which are caused by unequal heating across the Earth's surface and the pressure gradient force.

A low pressure system, or "low," is an area where the atmospheric pressure is lower than that of the area surrounding it. Lows are usually associated with high winds, warm air, and atmospheric lifting. Because of this, lows normally produce clouds, precipitation, and other bad weather such as tropical storms and cyclones.

In addition, areas prone to low pressure do not have extreme diurnal (day vs. night) nor extreme seasonal temperatures because the clouds present over such areas reflect incoming solar radiation back into the atmosphere so they cannot warm as much during the day (or in the summer) and at night they act as a blanket, trapping heat below.

Conversely, a high pressure system, or "high," is an area where the atmospheric pressure is greater than that of the surrounding area. In some places highs are referred to as anticyclones. These move clockwise in the northern hemisphere and counterclockwise in the southern due to the Coriolis Effect.

High pressure areas are normally caused by a phenomenon called subsidence, meaning that as the air in the high cools it becomes denser and moves toward the ground. Pressure increases here because more air fills the space left from the low. Subsidence also evaporates most of the atmosphere's water vapor so high pressure systems are usually associated with clear skies and calm weather.

Unlike areas of low pressure, the absence of clouds means that areas prone to high pressure experience extremes in diurnal and seasonal temperatures since there are no clouds to block incoming solar radiation or trap outgoing longwave radiation at night. Thus such areas have higher high temperatures and lower lows.
Atmospheric pressure explained: http://geography.about.com/od/climate/a ... essure.htm

The same density flow and return I have been working on in body and plant fluids also applies to gas density changes, in other words, we cannot have a downward flow without this generating a return flow! A high pressure in one area will cause a low pressure in another and visa-versa. A visible and often fascinating atmospheric flow and return system is the tornado, everyone focuses on the upward flowing tunnel but there is a downward flow that is thought to be the cause of Tornadoes. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IGOosj-0FU Some time ago I posted photographs of a plastic bottle with tightly fitted lid on a flight, this showed the bottle expanding at altitude where air pressure was reduced and crumpling at low altitude where air pressure increased. If we consider these same effects on veins and arteries it is not difficult to understand why there is an increase in ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (RAAA). Reduce the external atmospheric pressure and the fluid pressure that is pushing the artery wall out will unfortunately find the weakest point where it is present and rupture.

But what is happening to the shape of the veins throughout the body where no rupture occurs? This is the question that requires answering, could this be the cause of CCSVI?

My interest in all of this is about evaporation rate changes due to climatic conditions and how this, like the changes in density of the atmosphere, changes in the density of capillary blood leaving the lungs. Increase the rate of evaporation from the lungs and alter the position of the body so that it slopes down from head to toe and there should be some identifiable changes. When Pauline Phelps reported that her dropped foot problem was not present in the mornings where she used a dehumidifier along with IBT and was present when she just used IBT was a eureka moment. This proved beyond a shadow of doubt that the flow and return system was in operation in all of us! When varicose veins went back to normal looking veins in 4 weeks of avoiding a flat bed was another and when my wife and I confirmed that the density of urine increased when sleeping inclined over and above flat bed rest and that sleeping head down produced near water density urine, the body of supporting evidence ruled out any chance of coincidence.

Makes one think about the HBO therapy used for pwms?

Andrew

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Finally! I get worse the same time every year. It becomes noticeable in Aug. and goes on for about 5 months. It is not the heat as I live over on the coast. I brought up barometric pressure to my Dr. years ago and he had no comment.

Along with barometric pressure changes comes inevitable humidity change. Increase the humidity and we decrease our ability to evaporate water, instead it trickles down our skin and this saps our energy. http://www.achooallergy.com/effects-of-humidity.asp

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As expressed on The Weather Doctor, �Dehydration depletes the body of water needed for sweating and thickens the blood, requiring more pressure to pump it through the body, thus straining the heart and blood vessels.� As blood goes to the external surface of the body, less goes to the muscles, the brain, and other organs. Physical strength declines, and fatigue occurs more quickly than under normal conditions. Mental faculties, such as alertness, may also be adversely affected.

these things sure make sence and explains a lot. since most of us no longer sweat-what a double whammy.

anywhere on the planet where the barometric pressure is kind and stays level?

I agree its like clockwork! Every August and February!
Hawaii and San Diego have the most stable pressures in north america!
I even notice worsening of my symptoms with any weather changes where is a big change in barometric pressure!