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. |