Angioedema – What are the Causes, Symptoms and How is It Diagnosed and Treated?

The symptoms of angioedema are as follows [2]:

• Swollen Skin: You might often observe that the skin of your hands and feet become swollen. This is primarily due to the accumulation of water in the deeper layers.
• Swelling of Eye: There is a prominent swelling in the transparent layer of cells present in the eye. This results in a disruption in vision.
• Swelling in Windpipe: There is a prominent swelling in the windpipe inside your throat making it extremely difficult to breathe. 
• Stomach Ache: You can experience extreme stomach aches resulting in vomiting, diarrhoea, and nausea. 
• Swelling of Urethra: You might encounter swelling in the urethra resulting in a painful sensation while passing urine. 

However, you should be aware of the reasons behind the development of angioedema for effective prevention.

The causes of angioedema vary with its types as follows [3]:

Causes of Non-allergic Angioedema

The causes of non-allergic angioedema are as follows:

• Vaccines: There can be several vaccines that can induce this disease in an individual. 
• Bupropion: This drug is usually used by smokers to give up smoking. However, it can induce the development of this condition. 
• COX-II Inhibitors: This drug is mainly used to treat chronic pain like arthritis.
• NSAIDs: These, too, are painkillers like ibuprofen and aspirin, which can cause angioedema. 
• Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs): These drugs are mainly used for treating stomach ulcers. 
• Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs): This is a type of antidepressant that doctors prescribe to patients suffering from depression.  
• Angiotensin-2 Receptor Antagonists: Doctors usually prescribe this drug for the treatment of high blood pressure. 
• Statins: Doctors mainly prescribe this drug for the purpose of treating high cholesterol levels. 

Causes of Acute Allergic Angioedema

Causes of acute allergic angioedema are as follows:

• Food: Various foods like shellfish, nuts etc. can induce its development in people allergic to them.
• Insect and Bee Stings: These too can induce allergic reactions in healthy individuals.
• Various Medicines: Drugs like NSAIDs, aspirin and penicillin, can lead to the initiation of this condition in individuals.
• Latex: Various substances made of latex can also induce its development. 

Causes of Idiopathic Angioedema

The causes of idiopathic angioedema are as follows:

• Minor Infections: There can be several minor infections that can induce this type of angioedema.
• Excessive Exercise: At times, excess exercise too can lead to the development of this disease variant.
• Changing Temperatures: Alternate hot and cold can lead to the occurrence of this type of illness. 
• Stress or Anxiety: You can develop this condition due to stress or anxiety as well. 

Causes of Hereditary Angioedema

The causes of hereditary angioedema are as follows:

• Pregnancy: Pregnancy can, at times, trigger the development of this disease.
• Trauma Due to Surgery: Trauma due to surgery can lead to the occurrence of this variant of angioedema.
• Oral Contraceptives: Certain oral contraceptives also can lead to its development. 

These causes serve as the basis for classification of the different variants of angioedema that can develop in patients.

The different types of angioedema are as follows [4]:

• Non-allergic Drug Reaction: This variant of angioedema can happen mainly due to the consumption of certain drugs.
• Acute Allergic Angioedema: This can happen when you come in contact with any substance that can induce allergic reactions in your body. 
• Idiopathic Angioedema: There is no certain cause of this type. It mainly occurs due to issues in the immune system.
• Acquired Angioedema: This condition is not inherited, but you acquire it during your lifetime due to the occurrence of B-cell lymphoma.
• Hereditary Angioedema: You generally inherit this type of angioedema from your parents as it is genetically linked.

Hence, as soon as you identify the variant of angioedema that you have developed, you can visit a doctor for the treatment of this condition. 

Delaying angioedema treatment can prove to be fatal. Hence, it is essential that you go for treatment as soon as you are diagnosed with its symptoms. The doctor will suggest some specific treatment methods for the process, such that you can get cured instantly without any delay. 

However, prior to that, you need to take some diagnostic tests to confirm the occurrence and type of angioedema that has occurred.

The different tests for angioedema diagnosis vary with the type. These are as follows [5]: 

• Drug-induced Angioedema: The doctor will go through the medications that you are currently taking to confirm the occurrence of this variant of angioedema.
• Allergic Angioedema: To confirm the development of this type of angioedema, the laboratory technician will employ tests like blood tests and skin prick tests.
• Idiopathic Angioedema: This is based on the principle of elimination, that is, the doctor will infer the development of this variant only when they know that no other type of angioedema has occurred. 

Hereditary Angioedema: To identify this condition, the doctor prescribes a blood test to check for the presence of proteins that are mainly produced by the C1-inh gene

In most cases, angioedema resolves by itself. However, at times, it can prove to be fatal [6]. You should carry injectable epinephrine if you are prone to allergic reactions. However, ensure to get immediate help from a medical practitioner so that you can avoid complications.

After having a complete idea regarding the prognosis, you can proceed with the treatment of this illness.

Doctors mainly prescribe medicines to treat angioedema. However, these too vary with the type of angioedema as follows:

• Drug-induced Angioedema: For this variant, doctors usually prescribe some alternative medicine to the one responsible for the development of this condition. 
• Allergic Angioedema: The doctor usually prescribes a combination of corticosteroids and antihistamines so that you can get relief from the swelling that has occurred. 
• Idiopathic Angioedema: The treatment for this type of angioedema is usually done in the same way as allergic angioedema.
• Hereditary Angioedema: Doctors usually use two categories of medication for the treatment of this angioedema variant. These include drugs for preventing angioedema and drugs for getting relief from its symptoms like danazol, tranexamic acid, and icatibant.

Since it is a life-threatening disease and can prove to be fatal if not treated instantly, you should abide by the precautionary measures.

You can take the following precautions to keep from the development of this condition:

• Avoiding Consumption of Allergic Foods: If you are aware of the foods that have a possibility of inducing allergic reactions, you should avoid consuming them to stay safe.
• Checking the Components of Medicine Before Eating: It is essential to know the drug components by checking with the doctor, such that you can identify the medicine containing them. 

If you do not undertake precautions, you have a high chance of developing this disease. However, you should note that if you leave it untreated, there are chances of developing severe complications. 

Complications of angioedema are as follows [6]:

• Swelling: There can be an increased swelling in the pharynx, larynx, and tongue, which will cause difficulty in carrying out the daily activities of your life.
• Occlusion in airway: There can be occlusion in the airway that can cause suffocation, leading to instant death.
• Transmission to the Future Generation: If you have hereditary angioedema, there are high chances of passing it on to your future generations.
• Asphyxiation resulting in death: Asphyxiation can lead to the loss of consciousness, brain injury and ultimately death of an individual. 

The cost of angioedema treatment is usually quite high and can go beyond Rs. 10 Lakhs. Additionally, the medicines, too, are quite expensive. Also, the treatments are not permanent and at times, the symptoms might reappear. So, it would be prudent to purchase insurance coverage for staying financially protected. 

Angioedema can develop at any time without any prior indication. Also, some do not even give you sufficient time to prepare for the treatment financially and emotionally. Hence, if you have tendencies of severe allergies to any particular substance, you can purchase a health insurance plan to stay financially prepared.

To get comprehensive coverage, buy Navi Health Insurance for just Rs.234 per month. Enjoy several benefits like unlimited online doctor’s consultations, instant claim approval, cashless claims at 10,000+ network hospitals and a host of other perks. Get a quote now!