Giant cell arteritis

Introduction: Giant cell arteritis

Description of Giant cell arteritis

Giant cell arteritis (medical condition): Inflamed head artery causing headache. See also Temporal arteritis:
  »Introduction: Temporal arteritis
  »Symptoms of Temporal arteritis
  »Treatments for Temporal arteritis

Giant cell arteritis: SYN: temporal arteritis.
Source: Stedman's Medical Spellchecker, © 2006 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.

Giant cell arteritis: subacute, granulomatous arteritis involving the external carotid arteries, especially the temporal artery; occurs in elderly persons and may be manifested by constitutional symptoms, particularly severe headache, and sometimes sudden unilateral blindness; shares many of the symptoms of polymyalgia rheumatica.
Source: Diseases Database

Giant cell arteritis: Rare Disease

Office of Rare Diseases (ORD) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Giant cell arteritis is listed as a "rare disease" by the Office of Rare Diseases (ORD) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This means that Giant cell arteritis, or a subtype of Giant cell arteritis, affects less than 200,000 people in the US population.
Source - National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Ophanet

Ophanet, a consortium of European partners, currently defines a condition rare when if affects 1 person per 2,000. They list Giant cell arteritis as a "rare disease".

Source - Orphanet

Giant cell arteritis as a Disease

Giant cell arteritis: Another name for Temporal arteritis (or close medical condition association).
  »Introduction: Temporal arteritis
  »Symptoms of Temporal arteritis
  »Treatments for Temporal arteritis

Giant cell arteritis: Giant cell arteritis is listed as a type of (or associated with) the following medical conditions in our database: Vasculitis, Artery conditions, Arteritis, Blood vessel conditions, Head Conditions

Symptoms of Giant cell arteritis (Temporal arteritis)

Some of the symptoms of Giant cell arteritis incude:

• Local symptoms of inflamed temporary artery:
  • Headache
  • Throbbing headache
  • Temple pain
  • Swollen temporal arteries

See full list of 53 symptoms of Giant cell arteritis (Temporal arteritis)

Treatments for Giant cell arteritis (Temporal arteritis)

Treatments for Giant cell arteritis (Temporal arteritis) include:

• Corticosteroids - typically over 1 or 2 years.
• Immunosuppressants
• See also treatments for Polymyalgia rheumatica - many patients also have Polymyalgia rheumatica

Read more about treatments for Giant cell arteritis

Treatment of Giant cell arteritis: For more treatment information about Giant cell arteritis, see treatment of Temporal arteritis (Giant cell arteritis)

Giant cell arteritis: Article Excerpts about Temporal arteritis

Giant cell arteritis, also known as temporal arteritis and cranial arteritis, is a disorder that results in swelling of arteries in the head (most often the temporal arteries, which are located on the temples on each side of the head), neck, and arms. This swelling causes the arteries to narrow, reducing blood flow. Early treatment is critical for good prognosis. (Source: excerpt from Questions and Answers About Polymyalgia Rheumatica and Giant Cell Arteritis: NIAMS)

NINDS Vasculitis including Temporal Arteritis Information Page: NINDS (Excerpt)

Temporal arteritis (also called cranial or giant cell arteritis) is an inflammation of the temporal artery (which runs over the temple, beside the eye). (Source: excerpt from NINDS Vasculitis including Temporal Arteritis Information Page: NINDS)

Questions and Answers About Polymyalgia Rheumatica and Giant Cell Arteritis: NIAMS (Excerpt)

Giant cell arteritis, also known as temporal arteritis and cranial arteritis, is a disorder that results in swelling of arteries in the head (most often the temporal arteries, which are located on the temples on each side of the head), neck, and arms. This swelling causes the arteries to narrow, reducing blood flow. Early treatment is critical for good prognosis. (Source: excerpt from Questions and Answers About Polymyalgia Rheumatica and Giant Cell Arteritis: NIAMS)

Headache - Hope Through Research: NINDS (Excerpt)

Arteritis, an inflammation of certain arteries in the head, primarily affects people over age 50. Symptoms include throbbing headache, fever, and loss of appetite. Some patients experience blurring or loss of vision. Prompt treatment with corticosteroid drugs helps to relieve symptoms. (Source: excerpt from Headache - Hope Through Research: NINDS)

Aging and Your Eyes - Age Page - Health Information: NIA (Excerpt)

Temporal arteritis causes the arteries in the temple area of the forehead to become swollen. It can begin with a severe headache, pain when chewing, and tenderness in the temple area. It may be followed in a few weeks by sudden vision loss. Other symptoms can include shaking, weight loss, and low-grade fever. Scientists don’t know the cause of temporal arteritis, but they think it may be a disorder of the immune system. Early treatment with medication can help prevent vision loss in one or both eyes. (Source: excerpt from Aging and Your Eyes - Age Page - Health Information: NIA)

Terms associated with Giant cell arteritis:

Terms Similar to Giant cell arteritis:

• Horton-Magath-Brown syndrome
• Temporal arteritis

Source: Diseases Database

• PMR
• Polymyalgia rheumatica
• Temporal arteritis
• Cranial arteritis
• GCA

Source - NIH

The following terms can be used for Giant cell arteritis

• temporal arteritis

Source: CRISP

Hierarchical classifications of Giant cell arteritis

The following list attempts to classify Giant cell arteritis into categories where each line is subset of the next.

Disease Ontology - OBO (Open Biomedical Ontologies)

• Polyarteritis nodosa and allied conditions
• DISEASES OF ARTERIES, ARTERIOLES, AND CAPILLARIES
• Unspecified circulatory system disorder
• DISEASES AND INJURIES
• Disease Ontology V2.1 2005

External links related to: Giant cell arteritis

• Horton's disease I (www.whonamedit.com)
• eMedicine - Temporal (Giant Cell) Arteritis : Article by John G Albertini, MD
• 1990 Criteria for the Classification of Giant Cell (Temporal) Arteritis
• eMedicine - Temporal Arteritis : Article by Anthony W Allen, MD
• Handbook of Ocular Disease Management - Giant Cell Arteritis
• eMedicine - Temporal Arteritis : Article by Ann G Egland, MD
• eMedicine - Giant Cell Arteritis : Article by Stephen A Paget, MD
• eMedicine - Giant Cell Arteritis : Article by Manolette R Roque, MD
• OMIM - TEMPORAL ARTERITIS

Source: Diseases Database

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