Vasculitis

Vasculitis is inflammation of your blood vessels. It causes changes in the blood vessel walls, including thickening, weakening, narrowing or scarring. These changes can restrict blood flow, resulting in organ and tissue damage. There are many types of vasculitis, and most of them are rare.
 

FAQs

  • We do not know what causes most types of Vasculitis. Genetic factors (different genes) appear be somewhat important in the disease. Vasculitis is thought to be an autoimmune disease, which means the body comes under attack by its own immune system.
  • Some cases of Vasculitis are caused by reactions to medicines, infections, complication of cancer. It can be a part of other Rheumatic diseases mainly Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Rheumatoid Arthritis and Sjögren’s Syndrome.

Vasculitis affects persons of both sexes and all ages.

Vasculitis is a term for a group of rare diseases in which inflammation of blood vessels occurs. These vessels include arteries and veins. Vasculitis can result in poor blood flow to tissues throughout the body and disturbance in function of these organs.

It depends on type and severity of Vasculitis. Sometimes long term treatment is also required.

  • Treatment of Vasculitis is to remove or treat the underlying cause whenever known (e.g. treatment of cancer or stopping responsible drug)
  • Rheumatologists use Glucocorticoids, Cyclphosphamide, Methotrexate, Azathioprine or other immune-suppressing drugs to treat Vasculitis.
  • Expert physicians suspect Vasculitis when a patient has symptoms and abnormal results of the physical exam/ lab tests or both; and there is no other clear cause. The affected organ or tissue biopsy (whenever possible) provides diagnosis.
  • Imaging study like CT scan, MRI and Angiography etc can be used if needed to diagnose the condition.

Yes. Sometimes Vasculitis leads to life threatening complication.

  • Vasculitis leads to two types of symptoms:
    General symptoms related to inflammation of blood vessels like fever, loss of appetite, multiple joint pain and weight loss
  • Related to poor blood supply to a particular organ:
    Cough/shortness of breath (lung), numbness or weakness (brain), red spots or rashes (skin) etc.
  • Body pains.
  • Weakness after mild work.
  • Joint pain and swelling.
  • Swelling around eyelids.
  • Rashes over face and hands.
  • Breathlessness, dry cough.
  • Difficulty in swallowing

Food

  • There is no direct relationship of food with any arthritis except Gout.
  • Patients with gouty arthritis can take all vegiterian food including pulses. They should avoid non veg diet.
  • There is no relation of these diseases with sour food.
  • Sour food does not increase arthritis pain. The diseases does not improve after stopping sour food.
  • Arthritis patients should take healthy and easy to digest food according to their need.
  • Patients with involvement of joints of legs should avoid gaining weight.

Side Effects of Drugs

  • Side effects do not occur in most (90%) patients taking medicines used for arthritis.
  • Medicines are prescibed after considering patients age,weight, type/ seriousness of disease, associated other diseases etc.
  • It is taken care that minimum drugs in smallest doses are prescibed to the each patient.
  • Each and every complain occurring to the patients is not necessarily due to medicines.
  • Stop medicines if you suspect side effects.
  • Consult your family doctor immediately.
  • Later inform your rheumatologist or request your family doctor to speak to your rheumatologist.