What is angioedema and how to prevent it

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When you need to urgently call an ambulance

The first and most obvious symptom of Quincke’s edema (or in other words angioedema) – swelling, increase in size of the soft tissues of the face, head, neck, arms, legs. The most dangerous of them is laryngeal edema. It can lead to death due to lack of oxygen in the internal organs.

Here signs that allergic edema is life-threatening:

• breathing is difficult, wheezing appears;
• the throat feels as if it is being constricted;
• lips, tongue, neck are noticeably swollen;
• problems with the voice – it becomes hoarse;
• nausea, vomiting, acute abdominal pain;
• heartbeat became rapid;
• dizziness, headache, clouding of consciousness up to its loss;
• the swelling seems to be minor, but the person has already had dangerous allergic reactions in the past.

If, in addition to swollen soft tissues, you observe at least one of these symptoms, immediately call an ambulance at 103. Literally every minute counts.

What is Quincke’s edema

Almost everyone is familiar with allergies in one form or another. It is a violent reaction of the immune system to some external irritant – an allergen.

The body perceives it as a threat and produces substances that could bind the irritant and remove it. Including histamine and prostaglandins. Among other things, these compounds increase the permeability of the walls of blood vessels, especially capillaries.

In simple words: fluid from the capillaries enters the surrounding tissues. Therefore, allergic reactions are almost always accompanied by swelling. For example, think of the swelling that occurs when a bee stings. Or swollen mucous membranes with hay fever.

How much histamine and other pro-inflammatory factors the body produces in response to a trigger depends on the individual immune system. The important thing is that the reaction can be pronounced and life-threatening, especially if swelling of the larynx occurs. This situation is called angioedema, or Quincke’s edema – after the name of the doctor who first described this failure in 1882.

Possible development of Quincke’s edema – anaphylactic shock, towhen at least two organ systems are involved in the reaction, such as swollen lips and vomiting or swollen lips and wheezing. In such a situation, you must act immediately. Anaphylactic shock leads to hypoxia, a sharp drop in blood pressure and even death – within several hours (usually no more than two) or minutes after contact with the allergen.

What are the causes of Quincke’s edema

This question can be difficult to answer even for experienced doctors. Among the main reasons you can try highlight such groups.

1. Allergic

The most common type. As a rule, it is associated with the individual reaction of the body:

• for food;
• pollen;
• dandruff, wool, down of animals and birds;
• bites of insects and other poisonous animals;
• latex.

2. Medication

Most often, angioedema occurs as a reaction to the following medications:

• Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors. Similar drugs are used in the treatment of hypertension and heart failure. With them connected approximately 30% of all cases of angioedema.
• Common pain relievers are aspirin, ibuprofen and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
• Antibiotics of the penicillin group.

3. Hereditary

Sometimes the tendency to angioedema can be a family trait, inherited. IN In this case, edema may occur in several family members.

4. Idiopathic

This is the name for those cases of Quincke’s edema in which the cause cannot be established.

How to treat angioedema

If you are talking about a really serious allergic reaction (symptoms listed above), call an ambulance immediately. While she rides:

• If possible, avoid contact with the allergen if known.
• Place the person in a comfortable position (on their back or side), with their legs elevated.
• Ease your breathing – unbutton your shirt or blouse, take off your tie.
• If the person has an epinephrine auto-injector, immediately inject the drug into the outer thigh.
• If necessary, if the victim is not breathing or has no heartbeat, begin cardiopulmonary resuscitation: mouth-to-mouth artificial respiration, chest compressions.
• And we repeat once again: do not hesitate to call an ambulance!

You can try to reduce the swelling by giving the victim an over-the-counter antihistamine or injecting dexamethasone intramuscularly, but before doing this, be sure to consult a doctor, at least by phone! Contrary to popular belief, compresses do not help reduce swelling, except vinegar ones, and even then not always.

How to prevent or relieve angioedema

Humanity does not yet know how to completely cure allergies. But you can definitely take measures that will reduce the risk of angioedema or alleviate its consequences.

If you know your trigger, do everything to avoid unnecessary contact with it. Stay outside less during the flowering period of the allergen plant, eliminate hazardous foods from your diet, avoid bees and wasps, and do not use household chemicals that irritate the skin.