FOOD INTOLERANCE NETWORK FACTSHEET
HHT (Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia) and a low salicylate diet
Some facts about HHT:
·
It is a rare inherited
condition, affecting about 1 in 5000 people
·
characterised by
frequent nosebleeds and small red spots that are vascular malformations called
telangiectasias - most noticeable on the tongue, fingers, hands, nose, lips, mouth, throat and conjunctiva
·
also known as
Rendu-Osler-Weber syndrome
·
first recognised in 1896
as a disorder affecting the blood vessels and therefore separate from
haemophilia which affects the blood’s clotting ability
·
can be associated with
arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) in various internal organs including brain
and lungs and these can be lifethreatening. Bleeding from the digestive tract
can result in anemia
HHT patients are advised to avoid anti-coagulant drugs
including aspirin and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen
because they interfere with normal clotting and can increase bleeding. So could
a low salicylate diet help patients with HHT?
A
reader’s story: [387]
HHT (Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia) and a low salicylate diet (March
2006)
Our family has been largely failsafe for the past couple of years due to
our daughter’s behaviour, but an added side benefit seems to have emerged. My
husband has a rare disorder called Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia (HHT)
which causes his capillaries to balloon and bleed easily. His blood count is
always very low and like all HHT sufferers, nosebleeds have always been part of
his life. He has had far fewer nosebleeds since he's avoided salicylates and
that's the only change that he's made. I wonder if it could be that the lack of
salicylates decrease the bleeding? He can't ever take aspirin, so I suppose it
makes sense, but if my suspicions are correct, then other HHT sufferers might
benefit as well. I would think that it's worth investigating and I will
certainly share it with anyone who is interested or concerned. – Chris, NSW
More information about HHT from www.hht.org. More information about a low
salicylate diet and HHT from Chris: (vwilder@optusnet.com.au)
The information given is not intended as
medical advice. Always consult with your doctor for underlying illness. Before
beginning dietary investigation, consult a dietician with an interest in food
intolerance. You can find a supportive dietitian through the Dietitians
Association of
© Sue Dengate update March 2006
