[caroline2]

Just heard from a friend who got this dx and wonder if anyone here knows of this "rare" condition. Thank you for any info.

[mrsD]

I have HAE... hereditary angioedema.

There is another meaning for angioedema = Hives, due to allergy.

HAE is an excess of the biogenic amine bradykinin. This does not respond to antihistamines.

Allergic angioedema is due to histamine. (it responds to antihistamines)

Here is the HAE website:
http://www.haea.org/

The family of ACE inhibitors can cause an acquired angioedema, but this will go away after the drugs are stopped. This is a potentially fatal situation, and about 30% of patients may have throat closure and suffocate. This is due to accumulation of bradykinin the drugs cause. ACE inhibitors are derived from snake venom.

[caroline2]

Thanks for the info, I passed it on to her. I take a couple BP meds, I tried long and hard not to, but ended up on them...thinking now to back then, I didn't take nearly the magnesium I take today so perhaps I could have not got on BP meds if I took the high dosing mag I do for a few years now. I don't take an ace and cut the calcium blocker (norvasc) in half about 4 months ago and only take 1/2 tab with my atenolol.

My BP seems fine, somewhat elevated when I see my doc, once a year usually, but I know it's white coat...it's not real high in the office...so I think more mag thru the day is helping with BP.

I haven't met a drug yet that doesn't have potential for side effects....maybe except Armour thyroid which I take.