ABSTRACT
Mona Lisa has been pregnant shortly before the famous painting of Leonardo da Vinci was created (1503-1506). Recently, it has been speculated that Mona Lisa's famous smile is caused by facial muscle contracture and/or synkinesis after Bell's palsy with incomplete nerval regeneration. During pregnancy the incidence of Bell's palsy is increased up to 3.3 times compared to nonpregnant women. The etiology, associated factors as well as various treatment options aiming at the prevention of associated complications and improving recovery of facial nerve function have intensively been evaluated over the past three decades. However, the preferred mode of therapy management, particularly in pregnant women, remains undecided. Corticosteroids may be beneficial if they are applied after the first trimester.
Subject(s)
Bell Palsy/diagnosis , Bell Palsy/therapy , Pregnancy Complications/diagnosis , Pregnancy Complications/therapy , Bell Palsy/epidemiology , Female , Humans , Practice Guidelines as Topic , Practice Patterns, Physicians' , Pregnancy , Pregnancy Complications/epidemiology , SyndromeABSTRACT
Acute drug-induced angioedema is a non-pruritic swelling of subcutaneous and submucosal tissue. It most occur occurs the mouth and larynx as well as lips and eyelids; less often other skin regions or even the gut can be involved. ACE inhibitor (ACEi)- induced angioedema typical occurs after several years on medication. A 72-year-old woman developed recurrent ACEi-induced angioedema. The drug was stopped and she received an AT(1)-receptor antagonist as an alternative antihypertensive. This medication also led to angioedema, which was not immediately recognized as medication-associated. AT(1)-receptor antagonists are not suitable alternatives for ACEi because they also carry an increased risk for inducing angioedema.
