Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsCausesDiagnosisTreatmentNext in Angioedema GuideSymptoms of Angioedema
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View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment
Next in Angioedema Guide
Angioedemamost often affects thelips, eyes, tongue, throat, arms, and legs. It is the swelling of the lower layer of tissue just under the skin or mucous membranes, where fluid builds and vessels dilate. Angioedema may become serious and even life-threatening if it occurs in the throat, lungs, or gastrointestinal tract.
This article explains the symptoms and possible causes of angioedema. It also covers diagnosis and treatment options for the condition.
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.See PhotoAn example of angioedema.SaevichMikalai / Getty Images
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.See Photo
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.
Angioedema Symptoms
Angioedema is swelling under the skin that often happens as an allergic reaction. Symptoms of angioedema include swelling of the eyes, lips, hands, feet, legs, or genitals.The swelling may begin within minutes or develop over hours.
Other common angioedema symptoms include:
Less common angioedema symptoms include:
Angioedema symptoms range in severity but are rarely life-threatening. Swelling can last for several hours to days. When the swelling resolves, the affected skin will usually appear normal with no flaking, peeling, scarring, or bruising.
Certain types of angioedema can be far more serious, particularly if they extend beyond the extremities, face, or trunk. Among the complications:
Angioedema vs. Hives
Angioedema and hives share some of the same underlying causes, althoughsymptomsoften differ.
By contrast, angioedema occurs in thesubcutaneous tissuebeneath the outermost layers. As such, it causes a deeper, generalized swelling that tends to last longer than hives.
Symptoms of Angioedema
Angioedema Causes
Histamine, which forms part of the immune defense, causes the dilation of blood vessels so that immune cells can get closer to the site of an injury.Bradykininsalso cause blood vessels to dilate but do so to regulate body functions such as blood pressure and respiration. When released abnormally, either on their own or together, these compounds can cause the swelling we recognize as angioedema.
Hereditary Angioedema
Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is usually an autosomal dominant disorder, meaning that you can inherit the problematic gene from just one parent.The gene mutations typically result in the overproduction of bradykinins and can affect all organ systems, including the skin, lungs, heart, and gastrointestinal tract.
HAE is rare, occurring in only one in 50,000 people worldwide. It is is most often suspected when antihistamines or corticosteroids fail to provide the relief of symptoms.
Angioedema Causes and Risk Factors
Diagnosing Angioedema
Angioedema can often be diagnosed based on its clinical appearance and a review of your medical history and accompanying symptoms.
If an allergy is suspected, your healthcare provider may suggest that you undergoallergy testingto identify the causal trigger (allergen). This may involve askin prick test(in which a tiny amount of a suspected allergen is injected beneath the skin), apatch test(using an adhesive patch infused with the allergen), or blood tests to check whether allergic antibodies are in your blood.
Blood tests can also be used to diagnose HAE.If all other causes of angioedema have been excluded, your healthcare provider may decide to check the level of a substance calledC1 esterase inhibitor, which regulates bradykinins, in your blood. Those with HAE are less able to produce this protein, so a low level of C1 esterase inhibitor is considered a strong indication of this type of angioedema.
How Angioedema Is Diagnosed
Angioedema Treatment
Among the best ways to prevent future attacks is to avoid any known trigger. If this is not achievable, treatment would be focused on tempering the immune response to reduce the levels of histamine or bradykinins in your blood.
Among the options:
How Angioedema Is Treated
Summary
Angioedema swelling can happen anywhere on the body, but most often affects the face (lips, eyes), tongue, throat, arms, and legs. Fluid builds and vessels dilate in the lower layer of tissue under the skin or mucous membranes. Angioedema can result from allergic or drug reactions, an infection, cancer, genetics, and stress events but sometimes no cause can be found.
Angioedema symptoms can be severe or recurrent but are rarely life-threatening. Swelling can last for several hours to days. Treatment depends on the underlying cause but may include steroids, antihistamines, and the avoidance of known triggers.
If angioedema is believed to be allergy-related, keeping a daily record of foods eaten and any likely environmental allergen exposures may help to pinpoint and avoid triggers.
Angioedema Facts and Statistics: What You Need to Know
8 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Tarbox JA, Bansal A, Peiris AN.Angioedema. JAMA. 2018;319(19):2054. doi:10.1001/jama.2018.4860Staller K, Lembo A, Banerji A, Bernstein JA, Shah ED, Riedl MA.Consider Hereditary Angioedema in the Differential Diagnosis for Unexplained Recurring Abdominal Pain.J Clin Gastroenterol. 2022;56(9):740-747. doi:10.1097/MCG.0000000000001744Bernstein JA, Cremonesi P, Hoffmann TK, Hollingsworth J.Angioedema in the emergency department: a practical guide to differential diagnosis and management. Int J Emerg Med. 2017;10(1):15. doi:10.1186/s12245-017-0141-zMedlinePlus.Hereditary angioedema.Lochbaum R, Hoffmann TK, Greve J, Hahn J.Concomitant medication in patients with bradykinin-mediated angioedema - there’s more than ACE inhibitors.J Dtsch Dermatol Ges. 2023;21(11):1283-1289. doi:10.1111/ddg.15154Merck Manual Professional Version.Angioedema.Drugs.com.Comparing Firazyr vs Kalbitor.Riedl MA.Critical appraisal of androgen use in hereditary angioedema: a systematic review.Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2015;114(4):281-288.e7. doi:10.1016/j.anai.2015.01.003Additional ReadingBernstein J, Lang D, Khan D, et al.The diagnosis and management of acute and chronic urticaria: 2014 update.J Allergy Clin Immunol.2014;133(5):1270-7.
8 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Tarbox JA, Bansal A, Peiris AN.Angioedema. JAMA. 2018;319(19):2054. doi:10.1001/jama.2018.4860Staller K, Lembo A, Banerji A, Bernstein JA, Shah ED, Riedl MA.Consider Hereditary Angioedema in the Differential Diagnosis for Unexplained Recurring Abdominal Pain.J Clin Gastroenterol. 2022;56(9):740-747. doi:10.1097/MCG.0000000000001744Bernstein JA, Cremonesi P, Hoffmann TK, Hollingsworth J.Angioedema in the emergency department: a practical guide to differential diagnosis and management. Int J Emerg Med. 2017;10(1):15. doi:10.1186/s12245-017-0141-zMedlinePlus.Hereditary angioedema.Lochbaum R, Hoffmann TK, Greve J, Hahn J.Concomitant medication in patients with bradykinin-mediated angioedema - there’s more than ACE inhibitors.J Dtsch Dermatol Ges. 2023;21(11):1283-1289. doi:10.1111/ddg.15154Merck Manual Professional Version.Angioedema.Drugs.com.Comparing Firazyr vs Kalbitor.Riedl MA.Critical appraisal of androgen use in hereditary angioedema: a systematic review.Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2015;114(4):281-288.e7. doi:10.1016/j.anai.2015.01.003Additional ReadingBernstein J, Lang D, Khan D, et al.The diagnosis and management of acute and chronic urticaria: 2014 update.J Allergy Clin Immunol.2014;133(5):1270-7.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Tarbox JA, Bansal A, Peiris AN.Angioedema. JAMA. 2018;319(19):2054. doi:10.1001/jama.2018.4860Staller K, Lembo A, Banerji A, Bernstein JA, Shah ED, Riedl MA.Consider Hereditary Angioedema in the Differential Diagnosis for Unexplained Recurring Abdominal Pain.J Clin Gastroenterol. 2022;56(9):740-747. doi:10.1097/MCG.0000000000001744Bernstein JA, Cremonesi P, Hoffmann TK, Hollingsworth J.Angioedema in the emergency department: a practical guide to differential diagnosis and management. Int J Emerg Med. 2017;10(1):15. doi:10.1186/s12245-017-0141-zMedlinePlus.Hereditary angioedema.Lochbaum R, Hoffmann TK, Greve J, Hahn J.Concomitant medication in patients with bradykinin-mediated angioedema - there’s more than ACE inhibitors.J Dtsch Dermatol Ges. 2023;21(11):1283-1289. doi:10.1111/ddg.15154Merck Manual Professional Version.Angioedema.Drugs.com.Comparing Firazyr vs Kalbitor.Riedl MA.Critical appraisal of androgen use in hereditary angioedema: a systematic review.Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2015;114(4):281-288.e7. doi:10.1016/j.anai.2015.01.003
Tarbox JA, Bansal A, Peiris AN.Angioedema. JAMA. 2018;319(19):2054. doi:10.1001/jama.2018.4860
Staller K, Lembo A, Banerji A, Bernstein JA, Shah ED, Riedl MA.Consider Hereditary Angioedema in the Differential Diagnosis for Unexplained Recurring Abdominal Pain.J Clin Gastroenterol. 2022;56(9):740-747. doi:10.1097/MCG.0000000000001744
Bernstein JA, Cremonesi P, Hoffmann TK, Hollingsworth J.Angioedema in the emergency department: a practical guide to differential diagnosis and management. Int J Emerg Med. 2017;10(1):15. doi:10.1186/s12245-017-0141-z
MedlinePlus.Hereditary angioedema.
Lochbaum R, Hoffmann TK, Greve J, Hahn J.Concomitant medication in patients with bradykinin-mediated angioedema - there’s more than ACE inhibitors.J Dtsch Dermatol Ges. 2023;21(11):1283-1289. doi:10.1111/ddg.15154
Merck Manual Professional Version.Angioedema.
Drugs.com.Comparing Firazyr vs Kalbitor.
Riedl MA.Critical appraisal of androgen use in hereditary angioedema: a systematic review.Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2015;114(4):281-288.e7. doi:10.1016/j.anai.2015.01.003
Bernstein J, Lang D, Khan D, et al.The diagnosis and management of acute and chronic urticaria: 2014 update.J Allergy Clin Immunol.2014;133(5):1270-7.
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