What is APS/ Hughes Syndrome?
Hughes Syndrome also known as antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) or 'sticky blood' is a condition in which the blood has a tendency to excessive clotting. This in turn makes the circulation less efficient, so depriving vital organs of oxygen and preventing them from working properly.
It causes:
one in five miscarriages
one in five strokes in people under 45,
one in five deep vein thrombosis
heart attacks.
Life impacting symptoms including headaches, fatigue, “brain fog”, joint pains, and skin ulcers.
Hughes Syndrome is also involved in cases of teenage epilepsy, angina (especially in women under 45), and lupus.
Diagnosing Hughes Syndrome early saves lives, but much more needs to be done to improve the quality of life of those who live with the disease.
Take a look at our Patient Information Leaflets page to learn more.
Symptoms
Hughes syndrome can affect the brain, heart, digestive system, kidneys, and bones and joints.
Other common symptoms can include:
Migraine
Transient ischemic attack (TIA)
Seizures
Cold circulation
Chest pain
Atypical Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
Abdominal pain
Other aches and pains (fractures, hip pain etc)
How it presents
The onset of symptoms may be sudden, (e.g. leg thrombosis), or gradual (e.g. with migraine headaches over many years).
In women the first presentation can be with miscarriage; it is in fact the commonest treatable cause of recurrent miscarriage. As distinct from other clotting disorders, Hughes Syndrome can affect arteries (e.g. angina, stroke) as well as veins.
Hughes Syndrome can have a devastating impact on patients but it is highly treatable, if diagnosed early enough.
What To Do
If you have experienced any of the symptoms here, and you are worried about Hughes Syndrome, make an appointment with your GP. You might want to show them this web page, so that they know exactly what you are talking about. Knowing that, they'll be able to determine what treatment is necessary, and what tests need to be undertaken.
Help Us Change Things
Let’s save lives together. Please donate to our campaign to get Hughes Syndrome known, and to make early diagnosis the norm.