AndrewKFletcher wrote:jackD wrote:I just knew I was doing something wrong, because I sleep with my legs elevated about 6 inches!!!
jackD
Why would you choose to sleep this way Jack?
I suffer from "Chronic Venous Insufficiency" in ONE LEG!!!!
This condition was caused by numerous, too numerous to count unnecessary surgeries done to my right leg!!!
I have some moderate edema in my foot and lower leg.
I have been researching Blood Pressure Medications for both positive and negative effects and have found some truly remarkable results in Pub-Med.
One of the things I discovered is that some Calcium Channel Blocker drugs may have a potent neuron protective benefit.
My doctor (the cardiologist) wants me to take that class of BP drugs. The problem is those drugs cause edema(pedal edema) and after trying two different ones I called it quits because my edema became so severe that my foot hurt all-the-time and was quite swollen.
I still want to take a Calcium Channel Blocker so I got one of those $6,000 leg squeezing pumps and sleep with my right leg elevated.
I am interested in NIFEDIPINE and think I may have solved the edema problem because I found this abstract that says that one of my favorite supplements -PINE BARK EXTRACT - "PYCNOGENOL" has been shown to prevent this specific medication from causing this specific kind of edema.
jackD
Clin Appl Thromb Hemost. 2006 Oct;12(4):440-4.
Control of edema in hypertensive subjects treated with calcium antagonist (nifedipine) or angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors with Pycnogenol.
Belcaro G, Cesarone MR, Ricci A, Cornelli U, Rodhewald P, Ledda A, Di Renzo A, Stuard S, Cacchio M, Vinciguerra G, Gizzi G, Pellegrini L, Dugall M, Fano F.
Department of Biomedical Sciences, Irvine2 Vasc Lab, G D'annunzio University.
Cardres@abol.it
The presence of edema in different phases and stages of essential hypertension may be due to antihypertensive treatment.
Some drugs may cause edema by inducing vasodilatation, increasing the capillary exchange surface and capillary filtration.
Pycnogenol has an important anti-edema effect in diabetic microangiopathy and chronic venous insufficiency.
This 8-week study evaluated capillary filtration in 2 comparable treatment groups with hypertension treated with a calcium antagonist (nifedipine) or angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor to define its efficacy in preventing edema caused by antihypertensives.
A significant decrease in filtration was observed in the Pycnogenol groups.
Pycnogenol controls this type of edema, it helps to prevent and limit long-term damage in the microcirculation in hypertensive patients, and allows the dose of anti-hypertensive drugs to be reduced in most patients.
PMID: 17000888 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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Angiology. 2006 Oct-Nov;57(5):569-76.
Rapid relief of signs/symptoms in chronic venous microangiopathy with pycnogenol: a prospective, controlled study.
Cesarone MR, Belcaro G, Rohdewald P, Pellegrini L, Ledda A, Vinciguerra G, Ricci A, Gizzi G, Ippolito E, Fano F, Dugall M, Acerbi G, Cacchio M, Di Renzo A, Hosoi M, Stuard S, Corsi M.
Irvine2 Vascular Lab and Physiology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, G 'Annunzio, Chieti-Pescara University, San Valentino Vascular Screening Project, Faculty of Motory Sciences, L'Aquila University, Italy.
Erratum in:
Angiology. 2008 Jun-Jul;59(3):385.
The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical efficacy of oral Pycnogenol (Horphag Research Ltd, UK) in patients with severe chronic venous insufficiency. Patients with severe venous hypertension (chronic venous insufficiency, ankle swelling) and history of venous ulcerations were treated with Pycnogenol.
Patients received oral Pycnogenol (50 mg capsules, 3 times daily for a total of 150 mg daily) for 8 weeks. A group of 21 patients was included in the treatment group and 18 equivalent patients were observed as controls (no treatment during the observation period). All 21 patients (age 53 years; range, 42-60 years; M:F=11:10) in the treatment group completed the 8-week study. Also the 18 controls completed the follow-up period. There were no drop-outs. The average ambulatory venous pressure was 59.3 (SD 7.2; range 50-68) with a refilling time shorter than 10 seconds (average 7.6; SD 3). There were no differences in ambulatory venous pressure or refilling time between the treatment and control patients. The duration of the disease-from the first signs/symptoms-was on average 5.7 years (SD 2.1).
At 4 and 8 weeks, in all Pycnogenol-treated subjects, microcirculatory and clinical evaluations indicated a progressive decrease in skin flux, indicating an improvement in the level of microangiopathy; a significant decrease in capillary filtration; a significant improvement in the symptomatic score; and a reduction in edema.
There were no visible effects in controls.
In conclusion, this study confirms the fast clinical efficacy of Pycnogenol in patients with chronic venous insufficiency and venous microangiopathy.
The study indicates the significant clinical role of Pycnogenol in the management, treatment and control of this common clinical problem. The treatment may be also useful to prevent ulcerations by controlling the level of venous microangiopathy.
PMID: 17067979 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]