HAE attacks
The importance of treating your attacks at the start of symptoms
On average, an untreated patient will experience 2 to 4 attacks per month. There is no way to tell if the next hereditary angioedema (HAE) attack will be severe.
When untreated, the swelling in an HAE attack usually increases over 12-36 hours and then gradually subsides during the next 2 to 5 days. An HAE attack can start in one location and then spread to another before resolving.
Potential attack triggers
HAE attacks often happen without a known trigger; however, they can sometimes be triggered by:
- Minor trauma (an injury or a shock to the body)
- Stress
- Dental procedures
- Infections
- Surgery
- Hormonal changes
However, many attacks happen without an obvious trigger. That makes it very difficult to predict an HAE attack. Consider keeping a journal to look for trends in activity, stress and acute HAE attacks to help identify your potential triggers.
