Health A-Z

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Harvard Medical School

Vasculitis Overview

Treatment

The treatment of vasculitis depends on its cause:

• Polyarteritis nodosa – This form of vasculitis usually is treated with prednisone (sold under several brand names) and, in most cases, cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan, Neosar).

• Hypersensitivity vasculitis – This form goes away on its own without treatment. For severe cases, prednisone may be given.

• Giant cell arteritis – Treatment begins with high doses of prednisone, which gradually are reduced over many months. If symptoms return, a lower dose may be necessary for a year or more.

• Wegener's granulomatosis – Treatment begins with prednisone and cyclophosphamide, but then prednisone gradually is reduced and the patient continues to take only cyclophosphamide, often for a year or more. Methotrexate (Rheumatrex, and others) or other immune-suppressing medications may be used in people who cannot tolerate cyclophosphamide.

• Takayasu's arteritis – Prednisone is used to treat symptoms. Narrowed arteries may need to be corrected with surgery or angioplasty (inserting a balloon-tipped catheter to widen the vessels).

• Kawasaki disease – Treatment includes aspirin and a drug called gamma globulin given in high doses intravenously (into a vein) to reduce the risk of coronary artery damage.

There are a number of other types of vasculitis. Depending on the severity and type of vasculitis, other immune-suppressing medications may be recommended, including azathioprine (Imuran) or methotrexate.