What is vasculitis and how is it treated?
Vasculitis, an inflammation of blood vessels, can affect vessels of all size. If blood flow is reduced or stopped, tissues can begin to die. Treatment, which may include medication, depends upon which vessels and organs are affected.
What blood cancers cause vasculitis?
Although more frequently related to hematogenous malignancies (lymphoma and leukemia), paraneoplastic leukocytoclastic vasculitis may also occur in association with solid tumors, such as squamous cell carcinoma of the lung.
What is vasculitis?
What is vasculitis? Vasculitis refers to a large group of diseases that cause inflammation of the blood vessels. The specific blood vessels affected include arteries, veins, and the tiniest of these known as capillaries. It can affect different parts of the body, leading to a wide range of symptoms.
What are the complications of vasculitis?
Complications of vasculitis include: Organ damage. Some types of vasculitis can be severe, causing damage to major organs. Blood clots and aneurysms. A blood clot may form in a blood vessel, obstructing blood flow. Rarely, vasculitis will cause a blood vessel to weaken and bulge, forming an aneurysm (AN-yoo-riz-um).
What is the difference between vasculitis and phlebitis?
Both arteries and veins are affected. Lymphangitis (inflammation of lymphatic vessels) is sometimes considered a type of vasculitis. Vasculitis is primarily caused by leukocyte migration and resultant damage. Although both occur in vasculitis, inflammation of veins ( phlebitis) or arteries ( arteritis) on their own are separate entities.
What is the difference between primary and secondary vasculitis?
If the blood vessels weaken, an aneurysm, or bulge, may form. There are two main categories of vasculitis: Primary vasculitis, which is vasculitis with no known cause, and secondary vasculitis, which occurred because of another disease such as: