Giant cell arteritis Flashcards
1
Q
What is giant cell arteritis?
A
¬ Granulomatous arteritis of large vessels
2
Q
What are the clinical features?
A
¬ Headache
¬ Scalp tenderness
¬ Jaw claudication
¬ Visual loss (ischaemic optic neuropathy)
¬ Tender, enlarged, non-pulsatile temporal arteries
3
Q
What is the diagnosis of giant cell arteritis?
A
¬ Exclude other diagnosis
¬ Raised ESR, plasma viscosity, CRP
¬ Temporal artery biopsy
4
Q
What is the treatment for giant cell arteritis?
A
¬ Rapid and dramatic response to low dose steroids
¬ If temporal arteritis higher steroid doses required
¬ Gradual reduction in steroid dose over around 18 months to 2 years
