Vasculitis – What is it, Causes, Symptoms and Treatments!
In some cases, vasculitis can cause the vessel walls to weaken, causing them to give in to blood pressure, leading to the formation of aneurysms. So, check out Vasculitis – What it is, Causes, Symptoms and Treatments.
Causes of Vasculitis: Vasculitis canbe secondary to a disease or aggression, that is, caused by several factors or agents, the most common being infectious ( bacteria , viruses , protozoa ), which act directly on the vessel wall.
Other causative factors of vasculitis can be drug agents (penicillin, quinine, various antibiotics). Lately, vasculitis due to the use of illicit drugs (heroin, cocaine) has been common.
There is also the possibility that the vasculitis is primary, caused by immunological reactions or by unknown mechanisms. They can be located in the skin alone or affect vessels of various organs such as kidneys , lungs and skin.
Types of Vasculitis: Vasculitis canaffect any type of artery or vein and damage from large vessels, such as the aorta artery , to microscopic vessels, such as the arterioles of the eyes or kidneys . The causes are still not fully understood, but vasculitides are, in general, processes mediated by defects in the immune system.
Vasculitides can occur secondary to some autoimmune diseases, such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis; infections such as hepatitis C , syphilis or AIDS ; or as a reaction to certain types of medication. There are also primary vasculitides , that is, those that occur without an apparent cause and without being associated with any other disease. Vasculitides can be divided by the size of the affected vessels:
Vasculitis of Great Vessels: Takayasu’s arteritis – vasculitis that affects large arteries , especially those closest to the heart , such as the aorta and its branches; Temporal arteritis (giant cell arteritis) – It also affects large arteries , especially the aorta and vessels of the face.
Medium and Small Vessel Vasculitis : It is a vasculitis that affects medium and small vessels, sparing the aorta. They may or may not be associated with other diseases such as lupus, hepatitis, scleroderma and neoplasia.
Vasculitis of Small and Microscopic Vessels: It is the vasculitis that affects the very small vessels inside the organs . They can also be primary or secondary. The most common are:
- Polyarteritis nodosa
- Kawasaki disease
- Primary vasculitis of the central nervous system (cerebral vasculitis)
- Thromboangiitis obliterans (Buerger’s disease).
Symptoms of Vasculitis: Symptoms of vasculitis (or Angiitis) are caused by inflammation of the blood vessels ( artery , veins and capillaries) that can affect people of all ages. This systemic disorder affects the vascular system and alters the primary function of the arteries that carry oxygenated blood to the body’s tissues and the veins that carry deoxygenated blood to the heart . Symptoms of vasculitis
isa multisystem disease that can affect:
Treatment of Vasculitis: Recovery from vasculitis is slow, although the prognosis is benign. Recovery time can be months, a year or more. In most cases it is not fatal if the sick person has not developed kidney , lung , or both disorders.
If vasculitis becomes chronic, long-term treatment may be useful. Considering the severity of vasculitis symptoms and lesions , the doctor determines the type of treatment. If the lesions are painful, burning, or itchy, the doctor may prescribe medication.
In mild or moderate cases, it is treated with antihistamines and non – steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs . Severe or complex cases that may be related to dysfunction of other organs can be treated with the help of glucocorticoids to suppress inflammation .