APS is a snake in the grass and can bite or kill without warning

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date: 06/24/2007
Contact: Christina "Tina" Pohlman
Phone: 608-782-2626
Website Address: www.apsfa.org
Email Address: apsfa@apsfa.org

APS is a snake in the grass and can bite or kill without warning

Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome (APS) can affect anyone at anytime and is a disease that should be tested for more often.

"APS is a snake in the grass and can bite or kill without warning," said Christina Pohlman, President of APS Foundation of America, Inc.

The warning signs for APS include heart attack, multiple miscarriages and stroke. They can also include blood clots, pulmonary embolism (clots in the lungs) and brief stroke-like episodes called transient ischemic attacks (TIAs).

Other features that can be associated with APS include problems thinking clearly (loss of concentration, difficulty with reading comprehension and memory loss), migraine headaches and other neurological symptoms such as partial or total vision loss, dizziness and seizures.

APS is commonly misdiagnosed as other autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis. APS and MS can share similar symptoms. Since MS is more common and known, the false diagnosis can occur, leaving the patient with improper treatment that can possibly result in serious injury and even death.

The APS Foundation of America, Inc. is the only United States health agency dedicated specifically to bringing national awareness to APS. We are a volunteer-run, community-based, non-profit organization dedicated to spreading awareness and support to those with the disease.

Knowing more about APS can make all the difference. Get in the know and Get in the Flow!

For more information Contact: Christina "Tina" Pohlman at Phone: 608-782-2626
Website Address: www.apsfa.org. Email Address: apsfa@apsfa.org

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Strokes and heart attacks could be caused by APS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date: 06/17/2007
Contact: Christina "Tina" Pohlman
Phone: 608-782-2626
Website Address: http://www.apsfa.org
Email Address: apsfa@apsfa.org


Strokes and heart attacks could be caused by APS

Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is known to cause heart attacks, strokes and transient ischemic attacks (TIA), brief stroke-like episodes.

A heart attack occurs when the supply of blood and oxygen to an area of heart muscle is blocked, usually by a clot in a coronary artery. Each year, over one million people in the U.S. have a heart attack and about one-half die. Unfortunately, many heart attack victims wait two hours or more after symptoms begin before they seek medical help. This delay can result in death or lasting heart damage.

A stroke, or "brain attack," occurs when blood circulation to the brain fails. Brain cells can die from decreased blood flow and the resulting lack of oxygen. There are two broad categories of stroke: those caused by a blockage of blood flow and those caused by bleeding. While not usually fatal, a blockage of a blood vessel in the brain or neck, called an ischemic stroke, is the most frequent cause of stroke and is responsible for about 80 percent of strokes.

A TIA is a transient stroke that lasts only a few minutes. It occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain is briefly interrupted.

It is recommended anyone under the age of 50 who has had a heart attack, stroke or TIA should be tested for APS.

The APS Foundation of America is the only United States health agency dedicated specifically to bringing national awareness to APS. We are a volunteer-run, community-based, non-profit organization dedicated to spreading awareness and support to those with the disease.

Knowing more about APS can make all the difference. Get in the know and Get in the Flow!

For more information Contact: Christina "Tina" Pohlman at Phone: 608-782-2626 Website Address: http://www.apsfa.org Email Address: apsfa@apsfa.org

Are You in the Flow?

June is APS Awareness Month!

Have you bought your APS Awareness T-shirt or canvas bag yet? Now is a great time to do so and help bring awareness to APS!! We have a large variety of QUALITY items and the clothing comes in a wide variety of colors and sizes! You may even find a little something for Dad! Check out our CafePress store to buy APS Awareness items this June!!

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Support APS Awareness Month!
Our store is at: http://www.cafepress.com/apsfoundation

Antiphospho......what?!

Antiphospho.....what?!

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APS Linked to Birth Difficulties

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date: 06/10/2007
Contact: Christina "Tina" Pohlman
Phone: 608-782-2626
Website Address: http://www.apsfa.org
Email Address: apsfa@apsfa.org

APS Linked to Birth Difficulties

Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome (APS), is found more often in women than men with 90 percent of all APS sufferers being women.

APS is an autoimmune disease that causes blood clots, premature births and even miscarriages.

Women with APS may have difficulties with pregnancy. During pregnancy, women are at higher risk of developing blood clots and preeclampsia. In APS, pregnancies are thought to be lost because blood clots form in the placenta and starve the baby of nutrition. Some women may have trouble getting pregnant, while others may experience repeated miscarriages. Blood clots that develop in the placenta can cause fetal growth problems, fetal distress, preterm birth, or pregnancy loss.

APS pregnancies are not normal. Normal pregnancy is 40 weeks. In APS, it is more common to deliver the baby between 30-35 weeks, and between 3-5 pounds. Once born, the babies do fine.

Over the long term, many doctors recommend women continue to take a low dose of aspirin to reduce the risk of developing dangerous blood clots. Many women with APS are unaware they have the condition, but it can be diagnosed with a blood test. Doctors may consider the diagnosis when a woman has repeated, unexplained pregnancy loss.

Many women who have problems with APS during pregnancy are completely fine when not pregnant. Others do go on to develop problems with clotting. Currently there is no way of telling which women will be unlucky, until a clot actually occurs.

Infertility has also been linked to antiphospholipid antibodies. Testing for these antibodies is becoming routine in infertility clinics.

The APS Foundation of America is the only United States health agency dedicated specifically to bringing national awareness to APS. We are a volunteer-run, community-based, non-profit organization dedicated to spreading awareness and support to those with the disease.

Knowing more about APS can make all the difference. Get in the know and Get in the Flow!

For more information Contact: Christina "Tina" Pohlman at Phone: 608-782-2626 Website Address: http://www.apsfa.org. Email Address: apsfa@apsfa.org

JUNE IS APS AWARENESS MONTH: GET IN THE FLOW!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date: 06/03/2007
Contact: Christina "Tina" Pohlman
Phone: 608-782-2626
Website Address: www.apsfa.org
Email Address: apsfa@apsfa.org

JUNE IS APS AWARENESS MONTH: GET IN THE FLOW!

The APS Foundation of America, Inc. (APSFA) has declared June as National Antiphospholipid Antibody (APS) Awareness Month. We are educating the public and medical community about this disorder, urging people to Get in the Flow!

This disorder threatens to become more common than Lupus and Multiple Sclerosis.

The APSFA is sending petitions to several states to make June APS Awareness Month. The APSFA will be attending conferences, medical seminars, grand rounds and health fairs to share the patient perspective and provide awareness of APS throughout the month of June and also encouraging the community to Get in the Flow. Individual and APSFA fundraisers will be occurring throughout the country to help promote APS awareness and help support the mission.

Knowing more about APS can make all the difference. Get in the know and Get in the Flow!

The APSFA is the only United States health agency dedicated specifically to bringing national awareness to APS. We are a volunteer-run, community-based, non-profit organization.

For more information Contact: Christina "Tina" Pohlman at Phone: 608-782-2626
Website Address: www.apsfa.org Email Address: apsfa@apsfa.org

June is APS Awareness Month!

APS is an abbreviation for Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome. APS is also called APLS or APLA in the United States and Hughes Syndrome or Sticky Blood in the UK.

APS is associated with recurrent clotting events (thrombosis) including premature stroke, repeated miscarriages, phlebitis, venous thrombosis (clot in the vein) and pulmonary thromboembolism (blockage of an artery found in the lung due to a clot that has traveled from a vein). It is also associated with low platelet or blood elements that prevent bleeding. Recently, however, even more disease states have been linked with APL including premature heart attack, migraine headaches, various cardiac valvular abnormalities, skin lesions, abnormal movement/chorea, diseases that mimic multiple sclerosis, vascular diseases of the eye that can lead to visual loss and blindness.

For more information click the graphic above!