Angioedema is the swelling of the subcutaneous and mucosal
tissues. These inflammations usually take place in the lips, tongue, mouth,
throat, eyes, genitals, hands, feet or intestine. Sometimes the cause is
unknown. However angioedema can be the consequence of an allergic reaction, in
which the body produces histamine that causes blood vessels to swell.
Symptoms tend to clear up within 4 days with or without medication. The main
symptoms of intestinal angioedema are abdominal cramps, abdominal pain and
vomiting, which are also common in other diseases such as gastroenteritis or E.
coli infection.
There are four main types of angioedema:
- Allergic angioedema, in which the swelling is caused by an allergic reaction.
It is the most common type.
- Idiopathic angioedema. The cause is unknown. However, there are certain
factors such as infections or stress that may trigger the symptoms.
- Drug-induced angioedema. The swelling is a side effect of certain medications,
such as angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors which are used for
treating hypertension.
- Hereditary angioedema. It is a rare condition in which the person has
inherited faulty genes.
Angioedema can take from minutes to hours to develop. In addition, it can appear
alone or be part of a typical allergic reaction, with hives and itching. |
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