My Chronic Illness Journal: Vasculitis Awareness Month - 5 Day Countdown - Day 2 - Treatments for Healing Vasculitis & Vasculopathy

Vasculitis vs. Vasculopathy: "Vasculitis occurs when inflammation in the blood vessel wall leads to its destruction and Vasculopathy when a thrombus forms in the arterial lumen and compromises blood flow. The difference is subtle but important to distinguish since there are divergent diagnoses and treatments for Vasculitis and Vasculopathy." Source: Cutis.com

_____________________

Vasculitis Treatment:

Steroids: Treated with doses of a corticosteroid drugs including; Prednisone, methylprednisolone (Medrol).

Immune System: If steroids aren't effective, especially in severe cases, they may need treatment with cytotoxic drugs that kill immune system cells responsible for causing inflammation.

Healing Time: 23 months > 21 Years

Cure: Unknown

_______________________

Vasculopathy Treatment:

Since most people have never heard of "Livedoid Vasculitis" aka "Livedoid Vasculopathy", I felt it necessary to dedicate a better part of this article on this rare unknown disease.

Livedoid Vasculopaty, or Livedoid Vasculitis, is a painful ulcerative condition of the lower extremities which characteristic clinical and histopathologic features. The lesions of atrophie blanche, a term once synonymous with the disease, are typically present on the lower extremities and are characterized by smooth, porcelain-white lesions surrounded by punctate telangiectasia and hyperpigmentation. Shallow central ulceration's is often present. The condition is difficult to treat and sometimes immune to therapy.

Let's take a look at these 1st, 2nd, and 3rd line treatments a little closely.

=====================

FIRST LINE THERAPIES:

=====================

• Wound Care (including bed rest and leg elevation)
• Aspirin
• Dipyridamole
• Pentoxifyline

Wound Care: Regular wound care using wraps, compression fittings, keeping the wound warm and moist to allow the healing process to be uninterrupted. Something most people aren't aware of, have you ever heard anyone say "Put some air on that wound to heal faster?"

Bzzzt wrong answer. Air only increases the edges to heal quickly to prevent infection and bacteria from taking over, this is why most people who don't attend to their wounds properly, and let air get to them, are left with a nasty scar tissue. The scar tissue is created from the body correcting itself too quickly.

I will soon spawn an entire multiple-part series on wound care shortly after Vasculitis Awareness Month.

Aspirin: This only helps if you don't have a blood disorder and you aren't already on some form of blood therapy involving anti-coagulants.

Dipyridamole: Prevents blood clots in valves, prevents patelets from sticking together. (Drug interactions: Warfarin / Heparin)

Pentoxifylline: Treats chronic circulation disorders of the arms and legs. Allow futher distance to be walked before leg cramp occurs. (Drug interactions: Warfarin / Heparin)

======================

SECOND LINE THERAPIES:

======================

• Danazol
• Warfarin
• Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber

Danazol: Treat endometriosis (fibrocystic breast disease)

Warfarin: Anti-coagulant to prevent blood clotting or the act of breaking down clots already lodged within the circulatory system. If you have a blood disorder, chances are you're already on blood thinners which may not have any affect.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber Therapy: Increases oxygen count within blood flow for increased healing. Oxygen is what actually heals, not just the blood. 8/10 Patients heals completely from the Hyperbaric Chamber Therapy, some patients relapse afterwards.

=====================

THIRD LINE THERAPIES:

=====================

• Low molecular weight heparin (injections)
• Fluindione (vitamin K antagonist)
• Intravenous immunoglobin (IVIG)
• tPA
• ILoprost
• Sulfapyridine
• Ketanserin
• PUVA

ILProst: Ventavis (iloprost) inhalation solution increases hemodynamics and exercise capacity in patients with pulmonary hypertension.

Sulfapyridine: A sulfonamide used as an oral suppressant for dermatitis herpetiformis (Duhring's Disease), a skin problem. (Side Effects: Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency, lack of G6PD Enzyme)

Ketanserin: Effective in lowering blood pressure in essential hypertension. It also inhibits platelet aggregation.

PUVA: Prevent rapidly multiplying skin cells through an oral drug and ultraviolet light exposure.

Stanozolol: Steriods, same effects as Prednisone.

Nifedipine: Group of drugs (calcium channel blockers) that relaxes the muscles of the heart and blood vessels. (SIDE EFFECTS: Interacts with; Warfarin & Heparin)

In Conclusion:

Vasculitis and/or Vasculopathy has NO known cure. There are therapies which seem to suppress the symptoms, and in some cases, heal external wounds. Patients suffering from Vasculitis have had symptoms from 23 months to 21 years. This rare disease is something that may never go away.

Advances in science and medicine might improve over the years and hopefully for people like me, who still have many years of life to look forward to, a cure might be around the corner.

Do yourself and your; friends, family members and colleagues a favor, SHARE this post on your timeline. Also, click on the "LIKE" button within each Vasculitis group to get notifications and news from each one.

I hope this helps you to better understand what some of us are trying as therapies, even though we understand that in the end, there is no cure.

Vasculitis Awareness Month - 5 Day Countdown: