Pharmacy Clinical Pearl of the Day: Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome

Clinical Pearl of the Day: Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome

Ehlers-Danlos syndrome is a group of inherited disorders that affect your connective tissues—primarily your skin, joints, and blood vessel walls.

Insight:

• People who have Ehlers-Danlos syndrome usually have overly flexible joints and stretchy, fragile skin.
• This can become a problem if you have a wound that requires stitches, because the skin often isn't strong enough to hold them.
• A more severe form of the disorder, called vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, can cause the walls of the blood vessels, intestines, or uterus to rupture.
• Symptoms may include overly flexible joints, stretchy skin, and fragile skin.
• People who have vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome often share distinctive facial features of a thin nose, thin upper lip, small earlobes, and prominent eyes.
• The cause of this disease could be genetics.
• Treatment options could include the use of various medications, such as pain medications to control any acute pain, as well as blood pressure medications to control the blood pressure and help keep the vessels healthy.
• Physical therapy and surgery may also be needed for advanced cases.

Sources:

• Ehlers-Danlos syndrome - Diagnosis and treatment - Mayo Clinic
• Ehlers-Danlos syndrome - Google Search