Medicine

As with any delicate machine, the human body can be profoundly affected by its supply of vital running materials. Thus, the tendency for the blood to clot excessively has the potential to cut off the oxygen supply to any organ of the body. In 1983, Dr Graham Hughes and his team in London described a syndrome and subsequently developed simple blood tests to diagnose the condition. This syndrome is characterised by thrombosis (both in limbs and internal organs), headaches, memory loss, strokes and, in pregnant women, placental clotting and recurrent miscarriage. The syndrome, now known worldwide as Hughes Syndrome, or the anti-phospholipid syndrome, is common - being responsible for example, for up to 1 in 5 cases of young stroke. More important, it is treatable. This book provides the first in-depth description of the syndrome for patients.