Discover hereditary angioedema
Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a rare genetic disorder that can cause attacks of painful, disabling swelling. Attacks can occur in any part of the body, but characteristic locations include:
- Abdomen
- Face
- Feet
- Genitals
- Hands
- Throat
It's important to remember that an HAE attack that affects the throat is potentially life-threatening, because it puts you at risk of suffocation. Make sure you have a plan in place for this type of attack and seek emergency care as soon as possible.
HAE usually runs in families, which is why it's called "hereditary." People with HAE are typically missing an important protein called C1 esterase inhibitor in their blood, or it doesn't work the way it should. You can keep learning about what happens in the body during an HAE attack here.
HAE is rare
It's thought that only 1 in 10,000 to 1 in 50,000 people in the entire world have HAE. And it's estimated that only 6,000 people in the United States live with HAE.

Types of HAE
There are three types of HAE. They have similar symptoms but result from different genetic mutations.


