Angioedema
Angioneurotic edema is a peculiar reaction of the body, which is allergic and manifests itself in swelling of the subcutaneous tissue, skin and mucous membranes. Most often, it is characterized by an acute onset and a spontaneous course, with the same unpredictable end and frequent relapses.
Quite often, a similar symptom is called Quincke's edema, since this reaction was first described by the German physician and physicist HI Quincke. In medicine, you can also find the names "giant urticaria" or "limited acute edema", but all these will be characteristics of a single allergic reaction. Most often, it affects the face, neck and upper body, but in rare cases, the lining of the brain, internal organs and joints can be affected.
Almost everyone is at risk, but those people who suffer from allergic reactions are more prone to angioedema. Moreover, women and children suffer several times more often than representatives of the strong half of humanity.
Content:
- Symptoms of angioedema
- Causes of angioedema
- Treatment of angioedema
Symptoms of angioedema
Naturally, the first symptom of angioedema is swelling in the area that has undergone an allergic reaction.
If we consider all the characteristics of the disease, then this includes:
- Lightning-fast, but painless swelling of the mucous epithelium, facial skin tissue, as well as hands and feet.
- Blanching of the skin in the area of edema.
- The appearance of large purple itchy spots on the body. They are clear-cut and often blend together. This occurs when urticaria joins angioedema.
- Difficulty breathing often occurs, and the voice becomes hoarse.
- The appearance of anxiety and barking cough.
- If breathing is very difficult, then the face turns blue, loss of consciousness is possible.
- The lumen of the throat narrows, the palate and palatine arches swell.
- Sometimes the allergic reaction is accompanied by diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea with severe headache.
Edema of the larynx is the most life-threatening, since asphyxiation may occur due to blockage of the airways. If qualified assistance is not provided, such conditions are fatal.
If angioedema occurs in the region of internal organs, then in this case the symptoms are slightly different, a person may feel:
- Severe painful attacks in the abdomen.
- Loose stools with vomiting.
- If Quincke's edema is localized in the intestines or stomach, then tingling in the upper palate and back of the tongue becomes a common symptom.
In this case, visible edema, as a rule, does not appear, which significantly complicates the diagnosis of the disease.
As for angioedema of the brain, it is quite rare, but, nevertheless, it occurs, so you should know its symptoms:
- As with meningitis, a person has a stiff neck. This condition is characterized by the fact that it is not possible to touch the chest with the chin.
- Lethargy and lethargy may be accompanied by obsessive nausea, sometimes with vomiting.
- Quite often, you can observe the appearance of seizures in a patient.
As a rule, edema, regardless of its location, is a very dangerous condition and requires an ambulance call.
Causes of angioedema
It should be understood that there are several reasons that cause angioedema. The most common allergy is when, when any allergen, to which it is sensitive, enters the human body, a similar specific reaction may occur.
As a rule, it is rather difficult to accurately establish the stimulus, but most often the causes of Quincke's edema are:
- Insect bites, especially bees and wasps.
- Food, the most common foods are allergens such as: fish, nuts, berries, dairy products, eggs, nuts and shellfish.
- Plant pollen.
- Animal hair and dander.
- Medicines - penicillin and sulfa drugs, as well as ACE inhibitors and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
- Intense exposure to the sun, water, heat and cold can cause angioedema.
Sometimes a similar condition can develop due to the fact that a person has a hereditary form of the disease. Diseases such as lymphoma, lupus, and leukemia are also identified as potential causes of angioedema. With congenital pathology of the compliment system, when a group of certain proteins begins to spontaneously respond to unreasonable influences from the external environment, angioedema can also develop.
Treatment of angioedema
Depending on the severity of the symptoms, appropriate treatment is prescribed. If Quincke's edema is characterized by a slight swelling, then you just need to eliminate the allergen and it will quickly recede. Sometimes a cold compress can be applied to relieve symptoms.
In acute angioedema, the following drugs are prescribed:
- In case of a decrease in pressure, it is necessary to inject a solution of 0.1 adrenaline in the amount of 0.5 ml.
- To treat and prevent possible relapses, Suprastin, Zirtek, Claritin are prescribed.
- To remove the toxic effects of the allergen on the body, hemosorption and enterosorption are performed.
- If long-term therapy is necessary, a course of H1 and H2 blockers, as well as glucocorticoids, is prescribed.
- Antihistamines can be given intravenously as needed, such as diphenhydramine 50-100 mg.
Knowing the main symptoms of angioedema, and knowing how to recognize it in time, sometimes you can save a person's life. The main thing is to call a doctor on time, and before his arrival try to identify and eliminate a possible allergen. The victim should be given activated charcoal, and vasoconstrictor drops should be dripped into the nose. You can apply an ice heating pad to the affected area. If the edema is not caused by pollen, then it is best to take the person out into the fresh air and wait for the arrival of specialists there.
Author of the article: Lebedev Andrey Sergeevich | Urologist
Education: Diploma in the specialty "Andrology" received after completing residency at the Department of Endoscopic Urology of the Russian Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education in the urological center of the Central Clinical Hospital No. 1 of JSC Russian Railways (2007). Postgraduate studies were completed here by 2010.
