Angioedema presents itself as an abrupt onset of non-pitting, non-itchy swelling that involves the mucosal layers. Some common locations of angioedema are the face, particularly the lips and around the eyes, hands and feet, and genitalia.[2] A rare, yet serious complication is one inside the abdomen, the symptom usually being severe stomach upset, which is much less obvious than the other locations.[3]
The chance of drug-induced angioedema is extremely uncommon, however, as studies show incidence of less than 1%.[4] The reason this adverse effect may occur is due to the build-up of bradykinin, a vasodilator. This causes blood vessels to dilate and allow for fluid buildup in the mucosal surfaces.
^ abJames, William; Berger, Timothy; Elston, Dirk (2005). Andrews' Diseases of the Skin: Clinical Dermatology. (10th ed.). Saunders. ISBN0-7216-2921-0.
^Winters, Michael. “Clinical Practice Guideline: Initial Evaluation and Management of Patients Presenting
^J Community Hosp Intern Med Perspect. 2014; 4(4): 10.3402/jchimp.v4.25260
^Banerji, Aleena. “Multicenter study of patients with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor-induced angioedema who present to the emergency department.” Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (2008); 100: 327-332. Web. 2 Nov 2014
2. Angiotensin-Neprilysin Inhibition versus Enalapril in Heart Failure (PARADIGM-HF Investigators); NEJM.org, September 11, 2014; Vol.371, No.11.
