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Causes
By Mayo Clinic staff
While the cause of fibromuscular dysplasia is unknown, it's believed that several factors may play a role.
- Genetics. The cause of fibromuscular dysplasia isn't known, but it's thought that genetics plays a role. But, if another family member has fibromuscular dysplasia, you or a relative may never get fibromuscular dysplasia, or you might get the condition in a different artery or have a milder case or a more severe case than your family member. A genetic test is not yet available for fibromuscular dysplasia.
- Hormones. Because premenopausal women have fibromuscular dysplasia more often than men do, hormones may play a role in the development of fibromuscular dysplasia. However, fibromuscular dysplasia is not linked to how many children a woman has, when she gives birth or whether she's taken birth control pills.
- Abnormally formed arteries. Fibromuscular dysplasia could be caused by inadequate oxygen to the arteries that supply your blood vessel walls with blood, which causes the vessels to form abnormally. It could also be caused if the position of your arteries in your body is abnormal, or if a medication or tobacco causes your arteries to develop abnormally. Once the artery develops abnormally, a cluster of cells builds in the artery wall, narrowing it and reducing blood flow.
The most common form of fibromuscular dysplasia results in a "string of beads" appearance of the artery. Other, more aggressive forms of fibromuscular dysplasia have a smooth appearance.
- Fibromuscular dysplasia: Important facts you should know. Fibromuscular Dysplasia Society of America. http://fmdsa.org/files/FMDfactsheet2.pdf. Accessed July 7, 2008.
- Slovut DP. Clinical manifestations and diagnosis of fibromuscular dysplasia. http://www.uptodate.com/index/. Accessed July 7, 2008.
- Plouin PF, et al. Fibromuscular dysplasia. Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases. 2007;2(28):1-8.
- Slovut DP, et al. Treatment of fibromuscular dysplasia of the renal arteries. http://www.uptodate.com/index/. Accessed July 7, 2008.
- Slovut DP, et al. Fibromuscular dysplasia. New England Journal of Medicine. 2004;350:1862-1871.
