I spend a lot of time dedicating this site to those who are fat, but weight is not the only thing that health problems can be associated with. There is a condition that affect some tall people called Marfan Syndrome.

In short, Marfan Syndrome is a genetic disorder of the connective tissue. It is characterized by long limbs, thin fingers and above average height.

There are many conditions that are caused by Marfan Syndrome including:

• Aortic Disorders
• Cysts
• Cystic medial necrosis
• Deviated septum
• Cataracts
• Glaucoma
• Osteoarthritis
• Emphysema
• Eye iris coloboma
• Flat feet
• Gigantism
• Heart palpitations
• Hernias
• Hypermobility of the joints
• Kyphosis (hunched back)
• Leaky heart valve
• Learning disability
• Malocclusion
• Micrognathia (small lower jaw)
• Mitral valve prolapse
• Myopia (near sightedness)
• Obstructive lung disease
• Osteopenia (low bone density)
• Pectus carinatum or excavatum
• Pneumothorax (collapsed lung)
• Retinal detachment
• Scoliosis
• Sleep apnea
• Stretch marks not from pregnancy or obesity
• Teeth crowded
• Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD)

In the above list, the most common issues that Marfan Syndrome suffers encounter are heart problems. So if you suspect you have or do have Marfan Syndrome, regular check ups with you cardiologist are imperative. Over the last few years, treatment for Marfan has improved dramatically, resulting in increased life expectancy. And new treatments are looking more and more promising in finding a cure. As of right now however, the treatments for the disease are limited to treating the actual symptoms encountered by the patient.

But the heart is not the only organ affected. Since this is a tissue disorder, all organs and even the skeletal system are affected. Even the spinal cord is at risk. In extreme cases on Marfan, patients can be relegated to a wheelchair due to the weakening in the skeletal system and spinal cord.

However, if you see one or more of the above symptoms, do not assume that it is Marfan Syndrome. There are several other conditions that are similar to Marfan Syndrome, but are actually a diffent disease. Some of these include:

• Congenital Contractural Arachnodactyly (CCA) or Beals Syndrome
• Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome
• Homocystinuria
• Loeys-Dietz Syndrome
• MASS Phenotype
• Shprintzen-Goldberg Syndrome
• Stickler Syndrome
• Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia, type 2B.

So it is best that if you feel you are suffering from any of these symptoms to consult a physician as they can make the best determination of what you may have.

If you would like to learn more about Marfan Syndrome, I recommend visiting the following sites:

National Marfan Foundation

Marfan Association UK