Treatment of Secondary Raynaud's Phenomenon with Digital Ulceration or Critical Digital Ischaemia in Connective Tissue Disease
This protocol addresses secondary Raynaud's phenomenon presenting with digital ulceration or critical digital ischaemia in patients with connective tissue disease — the scenario where vascular compromise has advanced to tissue damage.
Raynaud's phenomenon progresses to tissue damage — including digital ulceration and critical ischaemia — when it is secondary to an underlying cause. In rheumatological practice, this most commonly means connective tissue disease. Because digital ulceration and critical ischaemia share closely aligned management principles, they are addressed together in this protocol.
Management in this setting involves oral sildenafil therapy, applied according to a structured titration regimen. The complete dosing schedule and clinical algorithm are available in the full protocol.