Polyarteritis Nodosa

Red bumps that hurtRed or purple spots on the skin that do not turn white when you press on themA purple pattern on the skin, which might be raised above the skin around itOpen sores or blistersNumbness, tingling, and decreased feeling in the hands or feet " пїЅ At first, this might happen on just one side of the body. It usually spreads to both sides.Belly pain " пїЅ Some people have other symptoms of belly problems, such as:- Nausea and vomiting - Diarrhea or blood in bowel movements

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Nausea and vomiting
Diarrhea or blood in bowel movements

PAN can also cause high blood pressure. This can be dangerous for your heart and other organs. Your doctor or nurse will tell you if you have it. пїЅ пїЅ

Most people who have PAN have symptoms in several parts of the body at once. But PAN sometimes affects just one area, such as the skin. пїЅ пїЅ

Will I need tests? " пїЅ Yes. Your doctor or nurse will do an exam and learn about your symptoms. You might have some or all of these tests: пїЅ пїЅ

Blood tests
Urine tests
Chest X-ray " пїЅ A chest X-ray creates a picture of your lungs. It can tell the doctor if you have PAN or a different condition. Some other diseases cause symptoms like those of PAN. These diseases usually affect the lungs.
Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) " пїЅ This test measures the electrical activity in your heart. PAN sometimes affects the heart.
Biopsy " пїЅ In this test, the doctor takes a small sample of tissue from a body part that has symptoms. Another doctor looks at the tissue under a microscope to check for signs of PAN.
Arteriogram " пїЅ For this test, the doctor injects a dye into an artery in a part of the body that is affected by PAN. The dye shows up on imaging tests, such as X-rays, CT scans, or MRIs. These imaging tests create pictures of the inside of the body. The dye can show problems with the blood vessels.

How is PAN treated? " пїЅ Doctors give medicines to control PAN and keep it from getting worse. Many people can take pills by mouth for PAN. But some people need medicine through an "IV. " пїЅ This is a thin tube that goes into a vein. пїЅ пїЅ

Treatment for PAN usually takes at least 6 months. It can take more than 1 year to get rid of symptoms. The medicines that treat PAN can cause serious side effects. Your doctor or nurse might give you other medicines to help keep these side effects from happening or make them less serious. пїЅ пїЅ

What if I want to get pregnant? " пїЅ Some medicines that treat PAN are not safe to take if you are pregnant. If you have PAN, ask your doctor or nurse if it is safe for you to get pregnant. пїЅ пїЅ

All topics are updated as new evidence becomes available and our peer review process is complete. пїЅ пїЅ

This topic retrieved from UpToDate on: Nov 04, 2014. пїЅ пїЅ

Topic 83628 Version 4.0 пїЅ пїЅ

Release: 22.8 - C22.208 пїЅ пїЅ

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Polyarteritis Nodosa

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