[Raynaud's syndrome: diagnosis and therapy in general practice]

The vasospastic diseases form an important group of ailments. The recognition of the different types of vasospasms is essential if the physician is to correctly advise and treat. Attention must be paid to the history of attacks of cold hands and feet combined with a predisposition to migraine and hypotension. The high prevalence of migraine, Raynaud's phenomenon. Prinzmetal's variant angina and visual acuity disturbance of ophthalmologically unexplained origin in patients with peripheral vasospasms indicates the existence of a generalized vasospastic disease. There is most often no underlying disease detectable. In cases of unknown origin, supplementary investigations are necessary. The management of vasospastic disorders is still unsatisfactory at the present time. These difficulties reflect the uncertainty in the etiology and pathogenesis of the disorder.