Boccon-Gibod Isabelle
CHU de Grenoble, clinique universitaire de médecine interne, centre de référence national de l'angioedème, BP 217, 38043 Grenoble cedex 09, France.
Presse Med. 2015 Jan;44(1):78-88. doi: 10.1016/j.lpm.2014.06.030. Epub 2014 Dec 12.
Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a chronic disease with unpredictable and severe acute attacks that are potentially life threatening. The treatment of HAE has two main objectives: treat acute attacks and limit their occurrence in the short term and long term. The acute treatment should be administered as soon as possible for better efficiency and patient safety. Self-administration should be encouraged for greater patient autonomy and safety (reducing delay to receive treatment injection). Long-term prophylaxis treatments should be set up to limit acute attacks occurrences and finally improve patients' quality of life and safety. Short-term prophylaxis treatments are required and should be thoroughly applied in case of exposure to known potential triggers (surgery, dental care…). CREAK protocols are available. The HAE National Educational Therapeutic Program "Educreak" is in place to allow the patient and his close family or partners to acquire skills for greater autonomy in day to day disease management.