Amyloidosis is a rare, and frequently misunderstood, disease. It's also a serious, potentially life-threatening one that can attack a number of organs, including the heart, liver, kidney and spleen. The disease occurs when amyloid proteins, abnormal proteins that are usually produced by cells in bone marrow, build up in organs. According to the Mayo Clinic, the causes of this disease are often unknown, and there is no cure. But there are both lifestyle changes and medical treatments that patients can rely on to prevent or limit the further production of amyloid protein.
The Basics
There are three types of amyloidosis. Primary, which can affect a patient's heart, liver, nerves, intestines, blood vessels and other areas, is the most common. Unfortunately, doctors do not know what causes this disease.
Secondary amyloidosis occurs in association with chronic infectious or inflammatory diseases, according to the Mayo Clinic. Patients suffering from tuberculosis or rheumatoid arthritis may develop this condition. This form of amyloidosis usually targets the liver, spleen, kidneys or lymph nodes.
Hereditary amyloidosis, the third form of the disease, is inherited, and often affects the heart, liver and kidneys.
Symptoms vary. The Mayo Clinic lists such warning signs as extreme fatigue, swollen ankles and legs, dramatic weight loss, diarrhea, irregular heartbeat and shortness of breath.
Because the disease targets so many organs, the complications from amyloidosis are many. For instance, if the disease targets the heart, patients may struggle to make it up a flight of stairs without needing a break. That's because amyloidosis reduces the amount of blood the heart takes in between pumps.
If the disease instead targets the kidneys, the result can ultimately be kidney failure. Amyloidosis may also cause patients to faint or suffer severe dizzy spells if they stand up too quickly.
Preventing Amyloid Production
Medical professionals don't have many tips to help people prevent amyloidosis. Doctors, though, usually recommend both medicinal and lifestyle treatments to slow or prevent many of the symptoms.
In some cases, the drug melphalan, a chemotherapy agent, has prevented or limited the future production of amyloid protein in patients. The drug dexamethasone, a corticosteroid, has also shown some results.
Peripheral blood stem cell transplantation is a riskier way to limit the further production of amyloid. Under this treatment, patients receive a high-dose transfusion of previously collected immature blood cells, according to the Mayo Clinic. These blood cells are used as replacements for diseased or damaged bone marrow. This procedure comes with serious risks, including the possibility of death.
Finally, doctors also recommend certain lifestyle changes to help prevent or control some of the symptoms of amyloidosis. Patients should not overexert themselves. And if they feel tired or short of breath, they should immediately take a rest. Patients should also eat healthy, balanced meals. Good nutrition will provide much-needed energy.
The Risk Factors
Doctors still don't know much about what causes amyloidosis. Unfortunately, the risk factors they do know about are ones that people can't do anything about.
For instance, a person's chances of suffering from this disease increase after age 40. People are also more likely to get amyloidosis if they suffer chronic infectious or inflammatory disease. Finally, patients who need to receive kidney dialysis are also at greater risk of acquiring the disease.
Tags: Mayo Clinic, heart liver, production amyloid, this disease, amyloid protein, blood cells