Can porphyria cause vertigo?

Acute porphyria is often called the “little imitator” because its typical symptoms—acute abdominal pain, rapid heart rate, increased blood pressure, nausea, vomiting, constipation or diarrhea, dizziness and fatigue, weakness and sometimes paralysis—are shared with many other more common conditions.

How does porphyria affect the nervous system?

The nervous system type is called acute porphyria. Symptoms include pain in the chest, abdomen, limbs, or back; muscle numbness, tingling, paralysis, or cramping; vomiting; constipation; and personality changes or mental disorders. These symptoms come and go.

How long does an AHP attack last?

Porphyria attacks typically last 5–7 days [6], although more severe or prolonged attacks can occur, potentially causing paralysis, respiratory failure, and death [7, 8].

What can trigger porphyria?

What triggers a porphyria attack? Porphyria can be triggered by drugs (barbiturates, tranquilizers, birth control pills, sedatives), chemicals, fasting, smoking, drinking alcohol, infections, emotional and physical stress, menstrual hormones, and exposure to the sun.

Is acute intermittent porphyria fatal?

Acute neurovisceral attacks of porphyria can be life threatening. They are rare and notoriously difficult to diagnose clinically, but should be considered, particularly in female patients with unexplained abdominal pain, and associated neurological or psychiatric features or hyponatraemia.

What is AIP acute intermittent porphyria?

Summary. Acute intermittent porphyria (AIP) is a rare metabolic disorder that is characterized by partial deficiency of the enzyme hydroxymethylbilane synthase (also known as porphobilinogen deaminase). This enzyme deficiency can result in the accumulation of porphyrin precursors in the body.

What is acute porphyria?

Acute porphyrias are a group of rare disorders characterized by an enzymatic defect in the heme biosynthetic pathway. Patients present with acute, debilitating, and at times life-threatening symptoms that may be precipitated by medications, hormonal changes, starvation, or other factors.