What is Vasculitis?
Vasculitis is simply an inflammation of any size and type of blood vessel, including veins, arteries and capillaries. As with our muscles, inflammation of the blood vessels may involve tenderness, swelling, as well as comprised function of the affected area.
Unlike most muscle inflammation, untreated vasculitis can lead to a severe decrease of blood flow that may result in aneurysm. Other vessels, organs, or other body systems may also be affected.
Types of vasculitis are defined by certain patterns of distribution of blood vessel involvement, organ involvement, and laboratory test abnormalities. Examples include:
- Behçet’s
- Cogan’s Syndrome
- Takayasu’s Arteritis
- Buerger’s Disease
What Causes Vasculitis?
There is no known cause of vasculitis, though experts do know that the disorder occurs when the immune system attacks the blood vessels by mistake. Doctors have also traced contributing factors that put certain people at risk:
- Recent or chronic infection
- Autoimmune disorder
- Nordic race (Giant cell arteritis)
- Asian race (Takayasu’s arteritis)
- Asian or Eastern European races, especially those who smoke (Buerger’s Disease)
What Treats Vasculitis?
- Corticosteroids
- Cytotoxic medicines
- High-dose aspirin and immune globulin
- Surgery to remove aneurysms
Learn More About Vasculitis Treatment in New Jersey
If you are interested in contacting us to learn about vasculitis and treatment options, please email or call us at 973-509-2000. Our staff will be happy to set up an appointment time for you with one of our New Jersey dermatologists.
