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HAE causes recurrent attacks of angioedema in various parts of the body, including the hands, feet, genitals, abdomen and gastrointestinal tract, face, or throat2

During an attack, people with HAE may experience many complications.1,3

Click the hotspots to see how HAE affects each part of the body or show all.

Tap the hotspots to see how HAE affects each part of the body.

Throat6,7,10

  • Shortness of breath
  • Wheezing voice
  • Choking and fear of death from suffocation

FACE7

  • Trouble speaking clearly
  • Inability to see through swollen eyes
  • Embarrassed to be seen in public

Hands6,10,11

  • Unable to hold objects (phone, pen, or glass/cup)
  • Difficulty texting or typing
  • Compromised ability to administer acute HAE treatment

Abdomen & GI tract1,7,12

  • Mild to severe abdominal pain, vomiting and/or diarrhea, which can be mistaken for other causes of abdominal pain, such as appendicitis, cholecystitis, and small bowel obstruction
  • Clothing that won’t fit or is uncomfortable to wear

Feet6,10,11

  • Difficulty walking or running
  • Cannot fit into shoes

Genitals2

  • Potential for increased frequency of attacks during menstruation, ovulation, and pregnancy
  • Inability to take estrogen-containing oral contraceptives (such as birth control pills)
  • Potential for attacks during childbirth
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During an attack, people with HAE may experience many complications.1,3

FACE7

  • Trouble speaking clearly
  • Inability to see through swollen eyes
  • Embarrassed to be seen in public

Throat6,7,10

  • Shortness of breath
  • Wheezing voice
  • Choking and fear of death from suffocation

Abdomen & GI tract1,7,12

  • Mild to severe abdominal pain, vomiting and/or diarrhea, which can
    be mistaken for other causes of abdominal pain, such as appendicitis, cholecystitis, and small
    bowel obstruction
  • Clothing that won’t fit or is uncomfortable to wear

Genitals2

  • Potential for increased frequency of attacks during menstruation,
    ovulation, and pregnancy
  • Inability to take estrogen-containing oral contraceptives (such as
    birth control pills)
  • Potential for attacks during childbirth

Hands6,10,11

  • Unable to hold objects (phone, pen, or glass/cup)
  • Difficulty texting or typing
  • Compromised ability to administer acute HAE treatment

Feet6,10,11

  • Difficulty walking or running
  • Cannot fit into shoes

During an attack, people with HAE may experience many complications.1,3

FACE7

  • Trouble speaking clearly
  • Inability to see through swollen eyes
  • Embarrassed to be seen in public

Throat6,7,10

  • Shortness of breath
  • Wheezing voice
  • Choking and fear of death from suffocation

Abdomen & GI tract1,7,12

  • Mild to severe abdominal pain, vomiting and/or diarrhea, which can
    be mistaken for other causes of abdominal pain, such as appendicitis, cholecystitis, and small
    bowel obstruction
  • Clothing that won’t fit or is uncomfortable to wear

Genitals2

  • Potential for increased frequency of attacks during menstruation,
    ovulation, and pregnancy
  • Inability to take estrogen-containing oral contraceptives (such as
    birth control pills)
  • Potential for attacks during childbirth

Hands6,10,11

  • Unable to hold objects (phone, pen, or glass/cup)
  • Difficulty texting or typing
  • Compromised ability to administer acute HAE treatment

Feet6,10,11

  • Difficulty walking or running
  • Cannot fit into shoes

HAE attacks

if not treated13

BRADYKININ IS A MOLECULE THAT

IN INFLAMMATION6,16

Swelling in HAE is a result of excess bradykinin production6,16

People with HAE often have an underlying deficiency of functional C1 esterase inhibitor that leads to an increase in plasma kallikrein activity. The increased activity results in an overproduction of bradykinin; excessive bradykinin leads to fluid uptake, which causes swelling.1

Low C1-INH activity1,6

Uncontrolled kallikrein activity1,6,15

Overproduction of bradykinin1,6

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References

1. Lumry WR, et al. Allergy Asthma Proc. 2020;41(Suppl 1):S08-S13. 2. Betschel SD, et al. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 2023;11(8):2315-2325. 3. Radojicic C, et al. Allergy Asthma Proc. 2021;42(3):S4-S10. 4. Aygören-Pürsün E, et al. Orphanet J Rare Dis. 2014;9(99):1-9. 5. Savarese L, et al. Allergy Asthma Proc. 2021;42(1):e1-e7. 6. Maurer M, et al. Allergy. 2022;77(7):1961-1990. 7. National Organization for Rare Disorders. Hereditary angioedema. https://rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/hereditary-angioedema/. Accessed January 3, 2024. 8. Santos GM, et al. Cureus. 2023;15(10):e47644. 9. Christiansen SC, et al. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2023;131(6):766-774.e8. 10. Food and Drug Administration. The voice of the patient - Hereditary angioedema. Published May 2018. https://www.fda.gov/files/about%20fda/published/The-Voice-of-the-Patient---Hereditary-Angioedema.pdf. Accessed February 14, 2024. 11. Longhurst HJ, et al. Br J Hosp Med (Lond). 2019;80(7):391-398. 12. Gülbahar O. Balkan Med J. 2021;38(2):73-81. 13. Bork K, et al. Allergy Asthma Clin Immunol. 2021;17(1):40. 14. Manning ME. Allergy Asthma Proc. 2020;41(Suppl 1):S22-S25. 15. Farkas H, et al. Clin Transl Allergy. 2021;11(4):e12035. 16. Zuraw BL. World Allergy Organ J. 2010;3(9 Suppl):S25-S28. 17. Aygören-Pürsün E, et al. Allergy. 2013;68(8):1034-1039. 18. Fouche AS, et al. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2014;112(4):371-375. 19. Lo SH, et al. Pharmacoecon Open. 2022;6(2):231-239. 20. Anderson J, et al. Allergy Asthma Clin Immunol. 2021;17(1):60. 21. Chong-Neto HJ. World Allergy Organ J. 2023;16(3):100758. 22. Riedl MA, et al. Allergy Asthma Proc. 2021;42(3):S17-S25. 23. Soteres DF, et al. Clin Case Rep. 2021;9(11):e05086. 24. Riedl MA, et al. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2017;119(1):59-64. 25. Covella B, et al. Future Pharmacology. 2024;4(1):41-53. 26. Wedner HJ, et al. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 2021;9(6):2305-2314.e4. 27. Riedl MA, et al. Allergy. 2020;75(11):2879-2887. 28. Busse PJ, et al. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 2021;9(1):132-150.e3. 29. Geba D, et al. J Drug Assess. 2021;10(1):51-56. 30. Mayo Clinic. Berotralstat (oral route). https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/berotralstat-oral-route/side-effects/drg-20506380?p=1. Accessed January 17, 2024. 31. Abdulkarim A, et al. Hereditary angioedema. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK482266/ 32. Angioedema Centers of Reference and Excellence. Who we are. https://acare-network.com. Accessed January 16, 2024. 33. US Hereditary Angioedema Association. https://www.haea.org/. Accessed January 16, 2024. 34. Hereditary Angioedema International. About HAEi. https://haei.org/about-haei/. Accessed January 16, 2024. 35. Everyday Health. Speaking hereditary angioedema (HAE): a glossary of terms used to describe symptoms, tests, treatments, and more. https://www.everydayhealth.com/hereditary-angioedema/glossary-of-terms-used-to-describe-symptoms-tests-treatments-and-more/. Accessed January 16, 2024. 36. Allergy & Immunology Medical Center. Glossary of Allergy Terms. https://www.aimedcenter.com/patient-information/patient-education/glossary-of-terms/. Accessed January 19, 2024. 37. Healthline. What is a hematologist? https://www.healthline.com/health/what-is-a-hematologist. Accessed January 17, 2024. 38. Purdue University. College of Science. Career development. https://www.purdue.edu/science/careers/what_can_i_do_with_a_major/Career%20Pages/immunologist.html#:~:text=Immunologists%20are%20research%20scientist. Accessed January 17, 2024.