About AHP
Acute hepatic porphyria (AHP) is a rare, genetic disease characterized by debilitating, potentially life-threatening attacks1,2
There are 4 types of AHP1,3
- Acute Intermittent Porphyria (AIP)
-
- ~80% of all AHP cases are AIP
- Variegate Porphyria (VP)
- Hereditary Coproporphyria (HCP)
- ALAD-Deficiency Porphyria (ADP)
ALAD, delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase.
AHP attacks can be severe, unpredictable, and progressive
- AHP can affect anyone, but is most commonly seen in women of childbearing age4
- Attacks generally last 3 to 7 days, but recovery can take longer1
- Severe attacks can progress to respiratory failure or paralysis, leading to temporary or permanent disability1,2
- Some patients with recurrent attacks report chronic symptoms and long-term complications and describe how chronic symptoms have contributed to their burden of disease1,5
Common signs and symptoms of an AHP attack1,2
SEVERE, DIFFUSE ABDOMINAL PAIN1,3

AUTONOMIC
Nervous System3,5
- Nausea/Vomiting
- Constipation
- Tachycardia
CENTRAL
Nervous System3,5
- Seizures
- Anxiety
- Mental status changes
PERIPHERAL
Nervous System3,5
- Limb weakness
or pain
CUTANEOUS3✱
- Skin lesions on
sun-exposed areas
*Cutaneous symptoms only occur in HCP and VP.3
AHP=acute hepatic porphyria;
HCP=hereditary coproporphyria; VP=variegate porphyria.
AHP can go undiagnosed for many years4,6
Patients with AHP are often diagnosed with other diseases with overlapping symptoms3,7-9

- Acute gastroenteritis with vomiting
- Cholecystitis
- Crohn's disease
- Intestinal occlusion
- Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)

- Appendicitis
- Chronic hepatitis
- Endometriosis
- Pancreatitis
- Peritonitis

- Anxiety/depression
- Fibromyalgia
- Guillain-Barré syndrome
- Polyneuropathy
- Psychosis
- Seizure disorders
Explore the journeys of real patients with AHP
Every AHP patient has a unique story to tell. Discover the journeys to diagnosis and beyond for two real patients living with AHP.
See Their StoriesReferences: 1. Simon A, Pompilus F, Querbes W, et al. Patient perspective on acute intermittent porphyria with frequent attacks: a disease with intermittent and chronic manifestations. Patient. 2018;11(5):527-537. 2. Neeleman RA, Wagenmakers MAEM, Koole-Lesuis RH, et al. Medical and financial burden of acute intermittent porphyria. J Inherit Metab Dis. 2018;41(5):809-817. 3. Ventura P, Cappellini MD, Biolcati G, Guida CC, Rocchi E; Gruppo Italiano Porfiria (GrlP). A challenging diagnosis for potential fatal diseases: recommendations for diagnosis acute porphyrias. Eur J Intern Med. 2014;25(6):497-505. 4. Bissell DM, Anderson KE, Bonkovsky HL. Porphyria. N Engl J Med. 2017;377(9):862-872. 5. Puy H, Gouya L, Deybach JC. Porphyrias. Lancet. 2010;375(9718):924-937. 6. Anderson KE. Acute hepatic porphyrias: current diagnosis & management. Mol Genet Metab. 2019;128(3):219-227. 7. Alfadhel M et al. Acute intermittent porphyria caused by novel mutation in HBMS gene, misdiagnosed as cholecystitis. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2014;10:2135-2137. 8. Ko JJ et al. Real-world analysis of symptoms, diagnostic patterns, and provider perspective on acute hepatic porphyrias. Poster presented at: American College of Gastroenterology Annual Scientific Meeting; October 5-10, 2018; Philadelphia, PA. 9. Kondo M, Yano Y, Shirataka M, Urata G, Sassa S. Porphyrias in Japan: compilation of all cases reported through 2002. Int J Hematol. 2004;79:448-456.