Angioedema
Condition causing rapid swelling of skin and mucous membranes.
Angioedema is a medical condition characterized by swelling of the lower layer of skin and tissue just under the skin or mucous membranes. The swelling may occur in the face, tongue, larynx, abdomen, or arms and legs, often associated with hives, and onset is typically over minutes to hours. The underlying mechanism involves histamine or bradykinin, with histamine-related cases due to allergic reactions and bradykinin-related cases due to inherited problems, medications, or lymphoproliferative disorders.
- field
- Medicine
- known_for
- Swelling of skin and mucous membranes due to histamine or bradykinin
- affected_population
- About 100,000 people a year in the United States
- types
- Hereditary (types I, II, III) and acquired
Lore & Background
Angioedema involves swelling of the lower skin layer and tissue, often affecting the face, tongue, larynx, abdomen, or limbs. It is frequently associated with hives, which are swelling within the upper skin. The histamine-related form results from allergic reactions to insect bites, foods, or medications, while the bradykinin-related form may arise from C1 esterase inhibitor deficiency, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, or lymphoproliferative disorders. Hereditary angioedema (HAE) has three types: type I with decreased C1INH levels, type II with normal levels but decreased function, and type III with no detectable C1INH abnormality, linked to factor XII gene mutations and affecting mainly women.
Reader's Guide
Angioedema is significant as a potentially life-threatening condition requiring prompt airway management in severe cases, such as intubation or cricothyroidotomy. Treatment differs by underlying mechanism: histamine-related angioedema responds to antihistamines, corticosteroids, and epinephrine, while bradykinin-related disease may be treated with C1 esterase inhibitor, ecallantide, icatibant, or fresh frozen plasma. Diagnosis relies on clinical presentation and blood tests, including complement levels and mast cell tryptase. Hereditary angioedema often goes undetected due to symptom overlap with allergies or intestinal colic, and its failure to respond to antihistamines or steroids is a key distinguishing feature. The condition affects about 100,000 people annually in the United States.
Did You Know?
- Angioedema swelling may be accompanied by pain or a burning sensation, and slightly decreased sensation due to nerve compression.
- Hereditary angioedema attacks can include abdominal pain, intense vomiting, weakness, watery diarrhea, and an unraised, nonitchy rash.
- Consumption of foods that are vasodilators, such as alcoholic beverages or cinnamon, can increase the probability of an angioedema episode in susceptible patients.
- The use of ibuprofen or aspirin may increase the probability of an episode in some patients.
More in Medical emergencies 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
This is a living reference — every entry is fact-audited, and reader corrections feed straight into our audit queue. Suggest an edit · See this site's audit record