These are drugs given to decrease the frequency of attacks and improve the quality of life.
- Anabolic steroids (also known as androgens) such as danazol, oxandrolone and stanozolol have, historically, been the most commonly used medicines to help prevent HAE attacks. While anabolic steroids have been shown to be useful, they are not well-tolerated by many women and are not advisable during pregnancy. They can harm the liver and cause problems with cholesterol. Also, they can’t be used on children. Anabolic steroids can cause a person to get attacks of belly or throat swelling when stopping the medicine; as a result this may require hospitalization.
Due to their side effects, androgens are only used in patients with severe or frequent attacks.
- Antifibrinolytic drugs, such as tranexamic acid or aminocaproic acid, are sometimes used as alternative to androgens.
On 2014, the US FDA has approved the manufacture of C1 inhibitor injections, among others, for the treatment of acute attacks of HAE in adults and adolescents. The doctor or healthcare team at Hamad Medical Corporation will teach the patient how to inject this medication himself. Other injections have also been approved to be taken two to three times weekly like purified C1-INH (CINRYZE®) to help prevent swelling attacks.
