Drugs to be Avoided While you are Suffering from Angioedema?
Man made drugs are a blessing, because they can eliminate your suffering and stop the symptoms of many lethal diseases. On the other hand, these drugs can result in some side effects. Sometimes these side effects can come in the shape of another disease e.g. angioedema also called quincke edema.
The most well known factor in causing angioedema is ACE inhibitor therapy which can cause ACEI Induced Angioedema. The symptoms may appear within a few hours or they may take years to become evident. If the symptoms appear, immediately withdraw the therapy and consult a doctor for prescription of steroids or antihistamines to counter the effect of the said therapy. Some other drugs which can cause angioedema are NSAIDS, aspirin, blood pressure medicines, ibuprofen, and antibiotics.
By avoiding these drugs you reduce the chances of angioedema attack.
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What is Quincke Edema?
Well it is not a new disease but Quincke edema or quincke’s edema is another common name of angioedema. Quincke edema is characterized by the rapid swelling of the dermis, subcutaneous tissue, mucosa and submucosal tissues. It can be itchy and painful besides growing temporary lumps on your face especially around the eyes and lips.
It is not a contagious or life-threatening disease and usuallyonly lasts for a few hours. In some severe cases the swelling may progress rapidly and it can block the upper airway and result in suffocation hence, it should be treated as a medical emergency.
If you are a patient, you need to read my detailed article about quincke edema – read here, or you will be missing some very important details.
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Quincke edema or quincke’s edema is another common name of angioedema. Quincke edemais the rapid swelling of the human skin resulting in the swelling of dermis, subcutaneous tissue, mucosa, and submucosal tissues. Usually, the swelling lasts a few hours and does not threaten the life of the patient. However, if the swelling progresses rapidly, it can block the upper airway and result in suffocation, in which case the patient should seek medical attention immediately. Epinephrine is a life saving drug in cases of acquired angioedema, but it is not very effective in familial angioedema.
The most common and obvious symptom is swelling, which can develop abruptly on the eyes, lips, tongue, and throat. However, it is not limited to these areas only, and any other part of the body can also be affected, such as the hands and feet. The swelling may result in itching, burning sensation, and pain. Urticaria (hives) may also develop along with it. Sometimes, the patient may also have difficulty breathing.
Quincke edema can be caused by many factors: allergies (e.g. pollen or food allergy), drugs (e.g. NSAIDS, aspirin, blood pressure medicines, ibuprofen, and other antibiotics), insect bites, hair dyes, any other underling diseases (e.g. Hodgkin, leukemia, lupus) or it can be simply a hereditary disease.
There are two types of Quincke edema: Acquired Quincke edema and Hereditary Quincke edema. As apparent by their names, the first one occurs in response to allergies and other factors, while the second one is a familial problem.
When trying to treat acquired Quincke edema, epinephrine has been very successful, but it does not treat hereditary Quincke edema as successfully. For a proper diagnosis, you may have an allergy test done by a professional. Urine and blood tests are helpful in determining whether you have Quincke edema. Antihistamines and certain other therapies are also quite helpful. One thing to bear in mind is not to take any other drug when you are suffering with Quincke edema.
