Marfan's Syndrome (connective-tissue disorder)
 

DEFINITIONS
 
Symptoms = Fingers contracted backwards at birth.  Taller than peers.  Arms & legs disproportionately long.  Indentation in chest bone.  Weak lung tissue.
 

ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE
 

CONVENTIONAL MEDICINE
 
Beta blockers lower blood pressure & reduce strain on aorta which can grow weak, enlarge & rupture, causing sudden death.  www.marfan.org  1-800-8-marfan  www.wsj.com 12/23/03
 
Marfan Syndrome  http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90257827 
 "A protein called TGF-beta...seems to be too active in people with Marfan syndrome.
When his team studied mice that had a version of the disorder, they found that blocking TGF-beta allowed the aorta to develop normally. 
A common blood pressure-lowering drug called Losartan is also "very good at stopping TGF-beta."
Heart Drug Reverses Marfan Symptoms in Mice  However, "'There have been patients with Marfan syndrome on Losartan who unfortunately have gone on to develop...tears in their aorta requiring urgent surgery.' 
Yetman says a different type of blood pressure medication, called an ACE inhibitor, may work as well or better than Losartan."