Critical care nurse
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Critical care nurse · Jun 2016
Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia: A Primer for Critical Care Nurses.
Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia is a rare, autosomal dominant genetic disease that causes abnormal growth of blood vessels and, subsequently, life-threatening arteriovenous malformations in vital organs. Epistaxis may be one of the initial clues that a patient has more serious, generalized arteriovenous malformations. ⋯ Prompt recognition of hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia and early intervention can halt the dangerous course of the disease. Critical care nurses can assist with early diagnosis within families with this genetic disease, thus preventing early death and disability.