How Is Vasculitis Treated?

Most cases of vasculitis are treated with prescription medicines.

Goals of Treatment

The main goal of treatment is to stop the inflammation in the affected blood vessels. Most treatments do this by stopping the immune or inflammatory response that caused the vasculitis to occur.

Specific Types of Treatment

There are two types of prescription medicines that are typically used to treat vasculitis: corticosteroid medicines and cytotoxic medicines.

Corticosteroid Medicines

Corticosteroid medicines are often called steroids, though these are not the same kind of steroids that athletes have been reported to use. These medicines are used to reduce the inflammation in the blood vessels. Examples of corticosteroids that the doctor might prescribe include prednisone, prednisolone, and methylprednisolone.

Cytotoxic Medicines

Cytotoxic medicines are typically used to treat cancer, but certain drugs also can be used to treat vasculitis. They may be prescribed in severe cases or in cases in which the patient did not respond to corticosteroids. Sometimes, they are prescribed along with corticosteroids. Cytotoxic medicines work by killing the cells that have caused the inflammation. Examples of these medicines include azathioprine and cyclophosphamide. Doses used for vasculitis are usually lower than those used to treat cancer.