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By: by Amino Science
A potentially life-threatening condition in which blood vessels become inflamed, vasculitis refers to a group of rare diseases with disparate effects. While there are multiple types of vasculitis, the primary symptoms include changes in the walls of blood vessels, especially thickening, narrowing, weakening, and scarring. Without treatment, vasculitis patients may suffer serious organ and tissue damage.
Vasculitis can be acute (short term) or chronic (long lasting). Early detection and treatment is the best way to prevent this condition from impacting quality of life.
There are 20 different forms of vasculitis give or take. While they all account for blood vessel inflammation, they affect different organs, present with different symptoms, and require different types of medication.
Vasculitis signs and symptoms vary based on the type of condition a patient is suffering from, though most involve decreased blood flow.
The symptoms of vasculitis differ upon the affected organs, with many patients experiencing fever, fatigue, headaches and other aches and pains, night sweats, and nerve problems. If vasculitis affects the skin, patients may experience rashes, discoloration, and ulcers. Vasculitis that affects the muscles causes muscle pain. Patients with vasculitis affecting the lungs may notice shortness of breath, while patients with heart vasculitis may develop congestive heart failure. Finally, vasculitis affecting the brain can lead to confusion, seizures, strokes, paralysis, and lightheadedness.
Doctors don’t know exactly what causes vasculitis. However, it’s believed that the condition results from genetic factors that cause the immune system to attack healthy blood vessel cells. When blood vessels bleed or become inflamed, the walls thicken, thereby limiting the flow of blood through the body. As a result, oxygen and nutrients are unable to reach bodily organs and tissues.
The following pre-existing conditions can increase one’s risk of developing vasculitis:
Additionally, patients who smoke may be at an increased risk for vasculitis.
A vasculitis diagnosis can involve a biopsy, an angiography, or a series of blood tests.
Other types of vasculitis, including Kawasaki disease and Behcet's, are diagnosed based on clinical findings versus a biopsy or angiography. Blood tests that check for antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) are useful for diagnosing GPA, microscopic polyangiitis, or EGPA.
The goal of vasculitis treatment is to control inflammation and underlying conditions in order to minimize the effects of the disorder. Doctors may recommend maintenance therapy to prevent relapse. The drugs patients take and the timeline involved likely depends on the severity of the disease and what organs are impacted. While some patients experience many flare-ups, others are symptom-free for months or even years.
Corticosteroids are among the most commonly prescribed drugs for vasculitis. While prednisone and methylprednisolone are effective ways to control inflammation, they often result in serious side effects, including weight gain, bone thinning, and even diabetes. Doctors tend to prescribe the lowest steroid dose possible in order to keep side effects at a minimum. Another commonly prescribed drug, methotrexate (MTX) helps vasculitis patients by dampening the immune system response and encouraging remission.
In more severe cases, doctors may recommend surgical treatment for vasculitis. Some patients develop an aneurysm in the blood vessel wall that requires surgical intervention. Surgery may also be necessary for patients with blocked arteries.
Researchers are just starting to understand the ways in which amino acids affect heart health. In a study of 200 women with healthy BMIs, doctors determined that the patients whose diets included the most amino acids also had the lowest blood pressure and least arterial stiffness. According to Dr. Amy Jennings of UEA’s Norwich Medical School, the project’s head researcher, the amino acids associated with the positive effects were glutamic acid, leucine, and tyrosine, all of which are from animal-based food sources. Doctors hypothesize that the blood pressure-lowering effect is due to a greater production of nitric oxide, which widens blood vessels and enables blood to flow through them more readily.
Studies show that taking L-arginine may help patients improve vascular health. Because the body converts L-arginine into nitric oxide, and NO improves circulation, individuals who consume more of this amino acid may enjoy benefits like:
You can increase your L-arginine intake by eating more poultry, fish, nuts, and seeds, as well as consuming certain protein shakes and supplements. When it comes to the most effective amino acid supplement for increasing arginine levels in the body, it isn’t arginine itself.
In order to elevate arginine levels sufficiently enough to improve blood vessel health, you have to take doses that are so high, they can cause stomach upset. For this reason, our expert team of amino acid researchers recommend supplementing with a balanced amino acid blend that contains citrulline. Citrulline doesn’t cause stomach distress and increases arginine levels much more than the same amount of arginine can.
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