Flush R23.2

Frequent functional disorder with attacks of patchy or extensive, bright or deep red erythema on the face and upper half of the body, persisting for a few minutes to an hour, sometimes with a feeling of heat and mild to moderate swelling (especially of the facial skin).

Sudden flushing may be due to loss of neuronal vasotone as a result of a direct response of vascular smooth muscle to very different stimuli. Triggering factors include:

• Emotional stress(erythema e pudore).
• Physical influences (heat)
• Chemical influences (e.g. alcohol)
• Drugs (nicotinic acid, fumarates)
• Food(glutamates; glutamate flush of the Chinese restaurant syndrome; histamine/red wines and tyramine/cheeses)
• Endocrine influences (menopause)
• Neoplasms (mastocytosis, carcinoid syndrome, pancreatic cancer)