CINRYZE Resources

Glossary of Terms

Below are some of the words and phrases you'll see on this site and hear when people talk about hereditary angioedema, or HAE.

Abdomen

The part of the body between the chest and pelvis that surrounds the stomach, intestines, liver, spleen and pancreas. This is a common location affected during an HAE attack.

Anaphylaxis

A sudden, potentially severe and life-threatening allergic reaction.

Bradykinin

Bradykinin is a protein found in the blood. When there is too much bradykinin in the blood, it can result in the swelling experienced during an HAE attack.

C1 esterase inhibitor

C1 esterase inhibitor is a protein found in the blood. When it's at normal levels and working properly, it helps regulate swelling in the body. If there's not enough working C1 esterase inhibitor, your body isn't able to perform this function — and that can put you at risk of an HAE attack.

C4 protein

A protein found in the blood. Measuring C4 levels can help your doctor diagnose and monitor treatment of certain diseases, such as HAE.

Hereditary angioedema

Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a rare genetic disorder. Most cases of HAE are caused by a deficiency in a protein called C1 esterase inhibitor, or the protein they have doesn't work the way it should.

Intravenous injection

Injected into a vein.

Larynx

More commonly known as the voice organ, this is the upper part of the airway which enables a person to speak.

Laryngeal

Relating to the larynx; commonly associated with the term HAE attack. A laryngeal HAE attack happens when the larynx swells, carrying the potential risk of suffocation.

Prophylaxis

Action taken to prevent symptoms of a condition or disease.

Self-administration

For CINRYZE, self-administration means you or a loved one inject CINRYZE into your body.

Subcutaneous

Beneath the skin. This is one of the primary locations for HAE attacks.