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Q: How is HAE treated?
A: HAE treatment can be divided into 2 categories: prophylaxis and treating acute attacks. Injecting purified C1-INH during HAE attacks has been used in many countries for almost 30 years. However, C1-INH has not yet been proven by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), so it is currently an investigational drug in the United States. In other countries, C1-INH has been used both for treating acute attacks and for preventing attacks.
An alternative treatment is fresh frozen plasma (FFP). In FFP, many blood protein products are preserved. FFP has been used to replace C1-INH in HAE patients during acute attacks and prophylaxis¿especially when C1-INH is not available.
Androgen derivatives, such as danazol and oxandrin, are often used as a prophylactic medicine for HAE.
Answered By: Dr. Henry Li, MD
Document Published:
12/22/2006 11:29 AM
Last Updated:
12/22/2006 11:30 AM
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