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Key Points
- Vasculitis is an inflammation of blood vessels in
the body. In vasculitis, the bodys immune system mistakenly attacks the
bodys own blood vessels, causing them to become inflamed.
- The inflammation can cause disruption of blood
flow to parts of the body, which can lead to tissue damage or even death.
- Vasculitis can affect any blood vessel or organ
in the body.
- The exact cause of the inflammation in vasculitis
is unknown, but it is sometimes a side effect of the bodys normal immune
system response.
- Vasculitis can affect people of all ages and
either gender. Some types of vasculitis are more likely to occur in certain
populations than others.
- There are many types of vasculitis, and the signs
and symptoms vary widely in type and severity. They may be specific and affect
a particular organ, or they may be nonspecific, causing general aches, pains,
and fatigue (feeling tired).
- Laboratory tests are usually performed to confirm
a diagnosis of vasculitis. There are many different tests that may be run,
depending on the signs and symptoms present and where they are in the
body.
- Vasculitis is typically treated with prescription
medicines with the goal of stopping the inflammation in the blood vessels and
relieving symptoms.
- Corticosteroid medicines or cytotoxic medicines
are typically the drugs used to treat vasculitis.
- The course of a case of vasculitis is often
difficult to predict. Vasculitis may go into remission, reoccur, remain
chronic, or, in rare cases, lead to severe disability or death.
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Living With Links
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