With long-term carcinoid syndrome, drowsiness, muscle weakness, fatigue, thirst, dry skin and weight loss are noted. In severe cases, swelling, osteomalacia, anemia and pronounced trophic changes in the skin occur due to gross metabolic disorders.
Cardiac pathology is found in half of patients suffering from carcinoid syndrome. As a rule, endocardial fibrosis is detected, accompanied by damage to the right half of the heart. Fibrous changes cause incompetence of the tricuspid and pulmonary valves and provoke pulmonary stenosis. Valve failure and pulmonary artery stenosis in carcinoid syndrome can lead to the development of heart failure and stagnation in the systemic circulation, which are manifested by edema of the lower extremities, ascites, pain in the right hypochondrium due to liver enlargement, swelling and pulsation of the veins of the neck.
In 10% of patients with carcinoid syndrome, bronchospasm is observed. Patients are bothered by attacks of expiratory shortness of breath, accompanied by whistling and buzzing wheezing. Another fairly common manifestation of carcinoid syndrome is abdominal pain, which can be caused by a mechanical obstruction to the movement of intestinal contents due to the growth of the primary tumor or the occurrence of secondary lesions in the abdominal cavity. A dangerous complication of carcinoid syndrome can be carcinoid crisis - a condition that occurs during surgical interventions, accompanied by a sharp decrease in blood pressure, increased heart rate, severe bronchospasm and an increase in blood glucose levels. The shock that occurs during a carcinoid crisis poses an immediate threat to the patient's life and can lead to death.
