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Angioedema: 5 Years' experience, with a review of the disorder's presentation and treatment
Author(s) -
Megerian Cliff A.,
Arnold James E.,
Berger Melvin
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
the laryngoscope
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.181
H-Index - 148
eISSN - 1531-4995
pISSN - 0023-852X
DOI - 10.1288/00005537-199203000-00005
Subject(s) - presentation (obstetrics) , angioedema , medicine , psychology , psychotherapist , pediatrics , dermatology , surgery
Angioedema is a problem that the otolaryngologist—head and neck surgeon is often asked to treat. This report concerns 17 patients admitted for care during a 5‐year period. At their initial presentation, 94% of these patients manifested signs and symptoms of angioedema in the head and neck; three of them required urgent tracheotomy or intubation. As treatment of complement‐mediated angioedema is distinct, an etiology‐specific diagnostic and treatment protocol is presented. Of the patients, 35% had recent initiation of angiotensin‐converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor therapy for hypertension, and 6% demonstrated classic hereditary angioedema. However, the majority of them (59%) had unclear etiologies for their symptoms. Since angioedema is the final result of several possible abnormalities, a thorough knowledge of the differential diagnosis and clinical presentation is vital to patient management.