The Rheumatologist
COVID-19 NewsACR Convergence
  • Connect with us:
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Feed
  • Home
  • Conditions
    • Rheumatoid Arthritis
    • SLE (Lupus)
    • Crystal Arthritis
      • Gout Resource Center
    • Spondyloarthritis
    • Osteoarthritis
    • Soft Tissue Pain
    • Scleroderma
    • Vasculitis
    • Systemic Inflammatory Syndromes
    • Guidelines
  • Resource Centers
    • Axial Spondyloarthritis Resource Center
    • Gout Resource Center
    • Psoriatic Arthritis Resource Center
    • Rheumatoid Arthritis Resource Center
    • Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Resource Center
  • Drug Updates
    • Biologics & Biosimilars
    • DMARDs & Immunosuppressives
    • Topical Drugs
    • Analgesics
    • Safety
    • Pharma Co. News
  • Professional Topics
    • Ethics
    • Legal
    • Legislation & Advocacy
    • Career Development
      • Certification
      • Education & Training
    • Awards
    • Profiles
    • President’s Perspective
    • Rheuminations
    • Interprofessional Perspective
  • Practice Management
    • Billing/Coding
    • Quality Assurance/Improvement
    • Workforce
    • Facility
    • Patient Perspective
    • Electronic Health Records
    • Apps
    • Information Technology
    • From the College
    • Multimedia
      • Audio
      • Video
  • Resources
    • Issue Archives
    • ACR Convergence
      • Gout Resource Center
      • Axial Spondyloarthritis Resource Center
      • Psoriatic Arthritis
      • Abstracts
      • Meeting Reports
      • ACR Convergence Home
    • American College of Rheumatology
    • ACR ExamRheum
    • Research Reviews
    • ACR Journals
      • Arthritis & Rheumatology
      • Arthritis Care & Research
      • ACR Open Rheumatology
    • Rheumatology Image Library
    • Treatment Guidelines
    • Rheumatology Research Foundation
    • Events
  • About Us
    • Mission/Vision
    • Meet the Authors
    • Meet the Editors
    • Contribute to The Rheumatologist
    • Subscription
    • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Search
You are here: Home / Articles / Giant Cell Arteritis

Giant Cell Arteritis

March 1, 2008 • By Staff

  • Tweet
  • Email
Print-Friendly Version / Save PDF

Giant cell arteritis (GCA)—a type of vasculitis—is a group of diseases whose typical feature is inflammation of blood vessels. The blood vessels most commonly involved are the arteries of the scalp and head (especially the arteries over the temples), which is why another term for GCA is “temporal arteritis.” GCA can overlap with another rheumatic disease called polymyalgia rheumatica, and symptoms of the two conditions can occur at the same time or separately. The causes of GCA and polymyalgia rheumatica are unknown.

You Might Also Like
  • How to Manage Patients with Giant Cell Arteritis and Polymyalgia Rheumatica
  • Abatacept Plus Prednisone Therapy Studied for Treating Giant Cell Arteritis
  • Higher Fracture Risk in Patients with Polymyalgia Rheumatica, Giant-Cell Arteritis
Explore This Issue
March 2008
Also By This Author
  • The Rheumatologist

GCA affects older adults (usually older than age 60), females more than males, and Caucasians more than other races. The most common symptom of GCA is a new headache, usually in the area of the temples. Almost as common are more generalized symptoms, such as unusual fatigue, loss of appetite, weight loss, a flu-like feeling, or fevers. Occasionally, the only indication of GCA is a recurring, prolonged fever. Less common symptoms involve facial, tongue, or throat pain and pain in the jaw when chewing. If GCA spreads to the blood supply of the eye, vision can be affected. Visual symptoms include temporary blurring, double vision, or actual blindness.

ad goes here:advert-1
ADVERTISEMENT
SCROLL TO CONTINUE

GCA can be difficult to diagnose and requires prompt treatment to preserve vision. Rheumatologists are specialists in musculoskeletal disorders and, therefore, are more likely to make a proper diagnosis of GCA. Unfortunately, there is no noninvasive way to confirm the diagnosis. According to William Docken, MD, author of the patient fact-sheet, “It is common to recommend a biopsy of a small piece of the temporal artery, which is then examined under the microscope for evidence of inflammation. This outpatient procedure is done under local anesthesia and leaves only a small scar, which generally cannot be seen, at the hairline in front of the ear.”

When a patient is diagnosed with GCA, treatment should begin as soon as possible due to the risk of vision loss. High doses of corticosteroids are usually given for the treatment of GCA. A typical corticosteroid treatment for GCA would be 40 to 60 mg of prednisone per day.

ad goes here:advert-2
ADVERTISEMENT
SCROLL TO CONTINUE

For most patients with GCA, headaches and other symptoms subside quickly and the sedimentation rate declines to a normal range. High-dose corticosteroid treatment typically lasts one month and then is slowly decreased. After treatment, subsequent recurrences of GCA are rare.

Download the complete GCA fact sheet and other patient-education materials at www.rheumatology.org by following the links to patient education from the Practice Support menu.

Pages: 1 2 | Single Page

Filed Under: Conditions, From the College Tagged With: Diagnostic Criteria, Giant Cell Arteritis, TreatmentIssue: March 2008

You Might Also Like:
  • How to Manage Patients with Giant Cell Arteritis and Polymyalgia Rheumatica
  • Abatacept Plus Prednisone Therapy Studied for Treating Giant Cell Arteritis
  • Higher Fracture Risk in Patients with Polymyalgia Rheumatica, Giant-Cell Arteritis
  • Permanent Vision Loss in Late Giant Cell Arteritis

Simple Tasks

Learn more about the ACR’s public awareness campaign and how you can get involved. Help increase visibility of rheumatic diseases and decrease the number of people left untreated.

Visit the Simple Tasks site »

ACR Convergence

Don’t miss rheumatology’s premier scientific meeting for anyone involved in research or the delivery of rheumatologic care or services.

Visit the ACR Convergence site »

Rheumatology Research Foundation

The Foundation is the largest private funding source for rheumatology research and training in the U.S.

Learn more »

The Rheumatologist newsmagazine reports on issues and trends in the management and treatment of rheumatic diseases. The Rheumatologist reaches 11,500 rheumatologists, internists, orthopedic surgeons, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses, and other healthcare professionals who practice, research, or teach in the field of rheumatology.

About Us / Contact Us / Advertise / Privacy Policy / Terms of Use / Cookie Preferences

  • Connect with us:
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Feed

Copyright © 2006–2023 American College of Rheumatology. All rights reserved.

ISSN 1931-3268 (print)
ISSN 1931-3209 (online)