A nonsmoker can NOT get Buergers disease according to all the literature I
have read concerning this disease. It is not genetoc, nor is it heriditary,
unless you factor in that Eastern European jews are one of the groups that are
in
the high risk category to get it, IF they smoke!
This disease ONLY attacks the small to medium arteries in the extremities.
At this time, since this disease is so rare, there is little to no research
being done for it specifically, since the money from any drugs for a cure from
the research would not be monetarily feasible for the drug companies. The
drugs would be so expensive that the average person could not afford to purchase
them.
There is NO spokesperson for this disease at this time either, since it is a
relatively unknown disease. We who suffer are not glamourous enough to garner
a high profile spokesperson such as the cancer societies and heart disease
research all get.
I do at this time have a lawsuit in the works to at least get the tobacco
companies to sponsor some research into this disease, if it ever gets off of the
ground floor. The tobacco company lawyers are using this as a tool to be run
up the billable hours to their clients and not going very far very fast in the
courts.
The person you are dating needs to get another medical opinion, since they
are a nonsmoker. The common therapy for this disease is to STOP SMOKING
immediately, to get SOME relief from the pain, but not total. Coumadin is
probably the
best drug therapy for Buergers, since it keeps the blood thinned out to get
through the affected arteries and allow some blood flow, allowing the person to
retain the limb a little longer.
Since the person you are dating is a non smoker, I can not tell them to stop
smoking immediately, to get some relief, although that is our common bond.
Nelson


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