Rare autoimmune disease - Arteritis de Takayasu
TAKAYASU'S ARTERITIS is a disease where there is inflammation of the major arteries such as the aorta and its ramifications. The aorta is the artery that carries blood from the heart to the rest of the body, this disease is suffered by my mother and so I want to tell you a little about it so that you know what it is and how it can be treated, in addition to the medicines my mother takes for life.
Causes
The cause of Takayasu's arteritis is unknown and this makes it a rare disease, but unfortunately this disease occurs mainly in children and women between the ages of 20 and 40, although it is most often seen in females. Originally it was more common in people from the Asian continent, or people from India or Mexico. Although now it is also seen in other parts of the world.
Takayasu arteritis is an autoimmune disease because the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue in the arteries. The condition may also compromise other organ systems over time due to medications that need to be consumed for life.
Some symptoms
- Muscle or joint pain
- Difference in blood pressure between the two arms
- Weakness or pain in the arms with use
- High blood pressure
Treatment
I have seen my mom consume medication year after year, treatment of this disease is really difficult. You may see some improvement over time, but while you are receiving treatment other organs are affected by medications. It is important to identify the condition in time, and the good thing is that my mom was diagnosed with the disease young and was able to start treatment. This disease tends to become chronic and requires long-term use of medications that help improve blood conduction.
MEDICINES
My mom uses these medications that help her treat: Prednisone, Metrotexate, Aspirin, Folic Acid, Omeprazole.
SOME COMPLICATIONS IN THE DISEASE
- Blood clot
- Heart attack
- Heart failure
- Pericarditis
- Aortic valve regurgitation
It is a rare but interesting disease that even today new things continue to be discovered, I have been able to see ups and downs of my mom, but she still struggles every day even though she gets tired quickly when she does her things.
Some of the information: https://medlineplus.gov/
Images taken from: Pixabay
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Takayasu's disease, like the other forms of systemic vasculitis, is an autoimmune disease. The patient's defense system considers its own body hostile and then specifically attacks the vascular walls of the large arteries. It is unknown, which causes the disease.The pathological process begins with the ingress of inflammatory cells from the blood through the wall of a blood vessel. This part of the blood vessel is damaged by local inflammation. The inflammation is limited to this part of the blood vessel wall. Later, this affected part of the blood vessel wall is replaced by connective tissue. The inflammatory process and the development of connective tissue lead to a thickening on the inside of the vascular wall; so a narrowing occurs. As a result, blood flow is hampered. Eventually, it may come to a closure of the blood vessel.