This post describes the pathophysiology of angioedema. If you or any of your friends or family is a victim of this deadly disease you must read this post and learn what  the biochemical, physical and chemical changes that angioedema can cause are. This will be a great help in angioedema treatment, especially hereditary angioedema treatment.

Acquired angioedema is not as hazardous as hereditary angioedema (HAE) and does not cause much damage.

However, hereditary angioedema which is caused by the C1 inhibitor deficiency can be lethal and extremely hazardous. There are three types of hereditary angioedema: Type I caused in response to decreased levels of C1 inhibitors which is nearly 85% of the original, while in Type II C1 inhibitors stay at normal levels but decreased function which is nearly 15% and Type III is caused due to an X-linked leading fashion so it mainly affects females.

Various drugs, alcohol and foods can be the trigger for angioedema.

That’s all about angioedema pathophysiology. Next week I will post some great tips for safety from angioedema , a must-read for sufferers.

Angioedema is characterized by swelling around different parts of the body, usually on the face around the eyes and lips. The swelling is usually painless but angioedema, especially hereditary angioedema (HAE) can be fatal. Therefore a timely diagnosis and proper angioedema treatment should be carried out.

Angioedema has urticaria (hives) as the most common related condition. Hives are the red itchy wheals that can erupt anywhere on the body. However, there are certain other disorders that may also occur in relation to angioedema including abdominal pain which usually resembles acute abdomen, vomiting and cramping in the belly.

High blood pressure is also expected in severe cases. Angioedema swelling can occur anywhere but it can cause upper airway compromise, which can be deadly and must be treated as medical emergency.

Make sure you do not miss my next post in a week about angioedema pathophysiology ,which will have excellent information, for those who are suffering from this deadly disease.

Individuals suffering from angioedema, especially hereditary angioedema (HAE) are mostly desperate and scared. Angioedema treatment can be an extended and agonizing experience and sometime the pain can cross the persons limits.

The following four points can be a true blessing for the sufferers.

i) Learn what are the main causes and triggers which play a role in the outbreak of angioedema and avoid them.
ii) Make a list of offending stimuli, allergens or foods that can cause allergies, eggs, nuts, wheat, dairy products etc. and avoid them.
iii) Unnecessarily touching or rubbing the rashes can cause the swelling to increase the pain, therefore must be avoided.
iv) Any form of angioedema must be given serious attention, however, if the swelling causes a danger of upper airway compromise, the case should be treated as a medical emergency.

Do not forget to read about  invaluable angioedema and related conditions in my post next week.

It is a fact that urticaria treatment can be expensive and time consuming, though there are some cheap herbal products which can bring quick results. But the question is, why should one suffer from urticaria in the first place? You must have heard that prevention is better than cure, so here are some simple tips that can help you stay safe from urticaria.

If you have a history of hereditary urticaria e.g. physical urticaria in your family, do not wait for the symptoms to appear, rather you must be proactive. Consult a qualified doctor for diagnosis because you may have a deficiency of C1 inhibitors which can be the cause of hereditary angioedema. People allergic to certain items or foods must avoid them. Last but not least, learn more about the disease as knowledge is power and with more power you can defeat urticaria.

But what if you already have  urticaria and  the itching is beyond tolerance? Read my post next week and find out the best solution.

Well, it is quite difficult to tell whether hereditary angioedema has more diverse effects or more names. It is called HAE, HAE angioedema, hereditary angioedema HAE and the list goes on and one. Whatever you call it, it can make your life a misery or even take your life!

HAE angioedema passes down in families and can be characterized by the swelling on the lips, eyes, tongue or throat.

Acquired angioedema might be a milder form of the disease but hereditary angioedema needs serious medical attention.You should also educate yourself as much as possible about this disease.

If you want to read more about hereditary angioedema HAE, click here.