What is Hereditary Angioedema?

Hereditary Angioedema, or HEA, is an extremely rare disease that is passed through genetics. The swelling of body parts is the symptom that characterizes the disease. Those diagnosed with this disease do not produce the necessary amount of the C1-INH protein, and as a result, the body tries to compensate by making a different protein called bradykinin. An abundance of this protein causes water to leak from blood vessels, which would not happen otherwise. This swelling causes pain, which is the leading symptom of the disease. Hereditary Angioedema treatment works to blog the dradykinin and reduce the leaking water from the blood vessels that are cause for swelling, inflammation, and pain.

Who is Affected by Hereditary Angioedema?

It is reported that 10-50 thousand people worldwide are diagnosed with HEA. Three out of four HEA patients got their disease as a genetic mutation passed down by a family member. The other 25% develop the disease as a result of a genetic mutation that happens within their lifetime. Those that develop the disease this way are still at risk to pass the genetic code to future offspring.

The most common and defining characteristic of HEA is its symptoms of swelling. This swelling is caused by inflammation to the area of the body being affected and causes pain to the patient. The most common areas of the body that are affected are the hands, feet, arms, legs, neck, and face. Some patients even report swelling of the abdominal area that causes extreme exhaustion, diarrhea, and nausea. Each patient is affected by the disease differently. Some individuals may experience an attack every few days or so while others may only have one attack in the matter of two years. No matter the consistency, every attack is painful and debilitating.

What Brings on an HEA Attack?

There is no way of telling how bad an HEA attack will be, how long it will last, or even all of the areas of the body that will be affected by the attack. There are, however, a few things that are reported as risk factors for triggering an HEA attack. These triggers include high amounts of stress, medical operations like surgery or dental work, fighting infections like the flu, overexertion, and changes in hormonal balances. Although these triggers can bring on an HEA attack, there are attacks that are brought on without the presence of a trigger. This means that you never really can know when an HEA attack is about to come. To reduce the risk for an attack, manage stress, get proper amounts of sleep, and receive necessary nutrients to avoid infections.

Hereditary Angioedema Treatment Options

Since attacks can happen anytime and anywhere and can become life threatening if there is too much swelling of the throat (which prevents breathing), patients diagnosed with the disease must have a treatment on hand that reduces swelling immediately. That’s where Firazyr comes in. Firazyr is a Hereditary Angioedema Treatment that works by blocking the bradykinin that causes the swelling. This medication comes in a premade self-administering syringe that is easy to use and can be thrown away after injection. Case studies show that Firazyr is effective in 9 out of 10 patients in reducing the swelling caused by an HEA attack.

Getting Hereditary Angioedema Treatment Discounted

Sure, Firazyr sounds great, but what if you can’t afford it? That’s where Advocate My Meds comes in. We provide prescription discounts for Hereditary Angioedema Treatment drugs, and hundreds of other medications as well. We utilize over 700 patient assistance programs offered by nonprofits and large manufacturers of pharmaceuticals. These programs offer specific medications, so we search for the programs that are suited to your financial and medicinal needs. Let us help you by providing you with the prescription discount that you need so that you can have Hereditary Angioedema treatment on hand at all time. To see if you qualify for our services, go to our website to view the restrictions and guidelines on individuals that apply. If you find yourself eligible, the application is also listed on our website and is free to complete. We will then reach out to you for additional needed information and to inform you further on your patient assistance discounts. Have any questions about our services or any of our medications? Call us today to talk to a representative of Advocate My Meds at 877-596-1604.