How to treat the symptoms of vasculitis

Thromboangiitis obliterans, also known as Buerger's disease, is a chronic, segmental inflammatory disorder that primarily affects small and medium-sized arteries and veins in the limbs. Its symptoms include limb pain, sensory abnormalities, changes in skin color, ulcer formation, and others. The treatment goals for thromboangiitis obliterans are to relieve symptoms, improve blood circulation, and prevent complications.

1. Pharmacological therapy: In the early stages of the disease, oral vasodilator medications such as sarpogrelate hydrochloride tablets may be used to alleviate symptoms. When the condition progresses and intermittent claudication develops, intravenous vasodilator drugs such as alprostadil injection can be administered, along with antiplatelet agents such as aspirin enteric-coated tablets, clopidogrel bisulfate tablets, and ticagrelor tablets.

2. Lifestyle modifications: Smoking cessation is crucial, as nicotine in tobacco can exacerbate vasoconstriction; maintaining appropriate physical activity, such as walking exercises, can enhance the muscle pump function and promote blood return; controlling blood glucose, blood pressure, and lipid levels, as well as avoiding cold exposure, are also important.

3. Surgical treatment: When non-surgical treatments are ineffective, open surgical procedures such as arterial reconstructive bypass surgery may be considered, or interventional treatments such as balloon angioplasty and stent placement. For patients who have already developed wet gangrene of the extremities, toe or finger amputation may be necessary.