What Is Vasculitis?
Vasculitis refers to a disease that is characterized by inflamed blood vessels. Arteries, veins, or both may be affected irrespective of their size. Various causes trigger the incidence of vasculitis in people. These may be certain infections, traumatic accidents, side-effects of certain drugs, or auto-immunity of the person itself. Auto-immunity refers to the abnormal action of one’s immune system to perceive healthy living cells and tissues as a threat, thus attacking them by releasing inflammatory chemicals (cytokines).
Vasculitis can be further subdivided into two main categories, namely, primary and secondary. Primary vasculitis is called when the disease's exact cause is not identifiable. Secondary vasculitis is when there is a specific reason that contributes to the development of the disease in the patient. Although the cause of vasculitis may not be known most of the time, its action on blood vessels is quite prominent. The blood vessels become inflamed, leading to thicker vessel walls. This, in turn, narrows the vessel lumen, allowing for a very minimal amount of blood to pass through it. The restricted blood flow impacts all the organs of the body, resulting in serious damage that may even prove to be fatal.
What Are the Symptoms of Vasculitis?
The symptoms of vasculitis may vary from person to person based on the type of vasculitis one is suffering from. Other factors that may also play a role are the severity of the disease and the organ/organs involved in the disease. A general set of symptoms appearing in all kinds of vasculitis include tiredness, fatigue, loss of appetite, weight loss, and body aches. Other specific symptoms associated with the organs involved are discussed below.
-
Eyes: Burning, itching, or reddening of the eyes is quite common. Vision may also be significantly impaired in some cases. Giant cell Arthritis may also occur, causing blindness in the affected eye.
-
Ears: Vasculitis involving the ears can cause infections of the inner ear and hearing loss. Deafness may also occur in severe cases.
-
Nose: A runny and itchy nose, possibly with sinus infections, is a common finding associated with vasculitis.
-
GIT: The gastrointestinal tract may also show signs of diarrhea, stomach upset, stomach pain ranging from mild to severe, and any ulcers of the mouth or intestine. Swelling of the lips and tongue may also be seen.
-
Skin: The skin may act up by developing rashes, bumps, and hives accompanied by constant itching.
-
Heart and Lung: The heart may have palpitations, which involve experiencing faster-than-normal beats. The lung health may deteriorate as the patient may suffer from shortness of breath or bleeding in one or both lungs.
The cardiovascular involvement of vasculitis is discussed in detail in the rest of the article.
How Is the Heart Affected By Vasculitis?
The inflammation of blood vessels causes swelling of the blood vessel walls. This results in the narrowing of the vessel lumen, allowing a very minimal amount of blood to flow through the vessels. This restricted blood flow causes various cardiac-associated issues that are life-threatening and require immediate attention.
-
Aneurysms: These are generally found in arteries but may occur in any blood vessel. The swelling of an artery may sometimes cause weakening of the walls of the blood vessels. This may lead to an abnormal bulging of the vessel above the normal diameter of the vessel lumen. The risk of rupture of this ballooned vessel may prove to be fatal. Aneurysms are generally asymptomatic if not ruptured. They often resemble a ticking time bomb and require surgical attention to resolve.
-
Arrhythmias: The term arrhythmias refers to the irregular rhythm of a heartbeat. The heart may beat either too slowly or too fast, exceeding the normal physiological limit. A person experiencing arrhythmias may encounter difficulty breathing, have periodic bouts of chest pain that may or may not be sharp, experience anxiety and restlessness, and, lastly, even faint in odd circumstances.
-
Deep Vein Thrombosis: The reduced blood flow due to blocked blood vessels may also lead to clots forming in a vein. Usually, the leg veins are affected in these cases. Cramping of the leg involved or breathlessness accompanied by sharp shooting chest pains, especially during inhalation, are some of the first signs of a deep vein thrombosis.
-
Coronary Heart Disease: Vasculitis causes blockage of one’s arteries, leading to a compromised blood flow to all parts of the body. Coronary heart disease occurs when the arteries are blocked due to the accumulation of fatty deposits in the blood vessels. Angina (chest pain) is the primary symptom of this disease and warrants immediate medical attention.
-
Hyper/Hypotension: High or low blood pressure may be common in vasculitis patients. This alternating blood pressure is owing to the variation in blood vessel diameter in different parts of the body. The vessels affected by vasculitis have a generally narrow diameter relative to normal vessels.
-
Carditis: This condition can be categorized into pericarditis, myocarditis, and endocarditis. A person with vasculitis may develop any one or all three. Pericarditis is the inflammation of the outer layer of the heart, also known as the pericardium. Myocarditis is the inflammation of the middle layer of the heart, also known as the myocardium (the heart muscle). The inner lining of the heart, the endocardium, when inflamed, is referred to as endocarditis.
-
Stroke and Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA): Heart stroke is a serious consequence of insufficient blood flow to the cells of the heart. The blood carries the necessary nutrients to the cells for proper functioning. Without proper blood flow, these cells begin to malfunction and ultimately die, leading to organ failure or heart stroke. A transient ischemic attack is not as serious as a stroke but carries the potential to convert into one. When blood flow is blocked for a while but is regained before any serious damage, one may suffer from a transient ischemic attack. Doctors also refer to it as a mini-stroke.
Conclusion
Vasculitis has serious consequences. However, the good news is that it is a very manageable disease. Mild vasculitis can be controlled with over-the-counter drugs. A more severe stage requires medicines as prescribed by the doctor. With timely medication, one can enjoy a good period without any disease symptoms. Remission of the disease may or may not occur, but this can be followed up by consulting with the doctor for further treatment.
