Fibromuscular dysplasia: Year of the Zebra

There’s a saying that goes 'straight roads don’t make good drivers'. There are many ways and contexts to interpret it, especially in the context of overcoming challenges, but one place where 'straight roads' are definitely preferred is the path our blood vessels make throughout the body. Changes in blood vessel architecture can cause significant disruptions just as sudden narrowings or bumps disrupt flow on the road. Fibromuscular dysplasia is a vascular disorder that causes arteries in the body to develop an abnormal vessel wall structure. This results in a 'string of beads' appearance with narrowings and bulges instead of a uniform cylinder. Symptoms depend on the artery affected. For instance, if the carotid arteries that supply blood to the brain are affected, symptoms can include chronic headaches, dizziness, neck pain, or a swooshing sound in the ears. In some cases, patients may experience a transient ischemic attack or stroke. If the renal artery is affected, symptoms may include high blood pressure, flank pain, or abdominal bruit, a swishing sound that can be heard with a stethoscope. Although its direct cause is unknown, fibromuscular dysplasia is far more common in females than in males, resulting in a theory that hormones may play an important role in disease development. To learn more about the diagnosis and treatment of fibromuscular dysplasia, watch the dedicated Osmosis video on YouTube and Osmosis.org