Treatments for Temporal arteritis

Treatment list for Temporal arteritis:

The list of treatments mentioned in various sources for Temporal arteritis includes the following list. Always seek professional medical advice about any treatment or change in treatment plans.

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

Treatments of Temporal arteritis: Online Medical Books

16 MEDICAL BOOKS ONLINE! Review excerpts from medical books online, free, without registration, for more information about the treatments of Temporal arteritis.

Chronic granulomatous disease: Treatment
(Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))

Early, aggressive treatment of infection is the chief goal in caring for a patient with CGD. Areas of suspected infection should be biopsied or cultured, and broad-spectrum antibiotics are usually started immediately — without waiting for results of cultures. Confirmed abscesses may be drained or surgically removed. Provide meticulous wound care after such treatment, including irrigation or packing.

Many patients with CGD receive a combination of I.V. antibiotics, in many cases extended beyond the usual 10- to 14-day course. However, for fungal infections with Aspergillus or Nocardia, treatment involves amphotericin B in gradually increasing doses to achieve a maximum cumulative dose. During I.V. drug therapy, monitor vital signs frequently and rotate the I.V. site every 48 to 72 hours.

To help treat antibiotic-resistant or life-threatening infection, or to help localize infection, the patient may receive granulocyte transfusions — usually once daily until the crisis has passed. During such transfusions, watch for fever and chills (these effects can sometimes be prevented by premedication with acetaminophen). Transfusions shouldn’t be given for 6 hours before or after amphotericin B to avoid severe pulmonary edema and, possibly, respiratory arrest.

Interferon-gamma may help reduce the number of severe infections. Bone marrow transplantation is also promising.

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Unlabelled alternative drug treatments include:

• Oxicams
• Alti-Piroxicam
• Apo-Piroxicam
• Brexidol
• Dom-Piroxicam
• Feldene
• Med-Pirocam
• Novo-Pirocam
• Nu-Pirox
• Propionic Acid
• Ketoprofen
• Actron
• Apo-Keto
• Apo-Keto E
• Orudis
• Orudis E-50
• Orudis E-100
• Orudis KT
• Orudis SR
• Oruvail
• Oruvail ER
• Oruvail SR
• Rhodis
• Rhodis EC
• Rhodis EC Suppository

Discussion of treatments for Temporal arteritis:

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

Treatment for temporal arteritis and its associated symptoms generally includes corticosteroid therapy. Early detection of temporal arteritis and immediate treatment are essential to prevent vision loss. (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 carries a small but definite risk of blindness. The blindness is permanent once it happens. A high dose of prednisone is needed to prevent blindness and should be started as soon as possible, perhaps even before the diagnosis is confirmed with a temporal artery biopsy. When treated, symptoms quickly disappear. Typically, people with giant cell arteritis must continue taking a high dose of prednisone for 1 month. Once symptoms disappear and the sed rate is normal and there is no longer a risk of blindness, the doctor can begin to gradually reduce the dose. When treated properly, giant cell arteritis rarely recurs.

People taking low doses of prednisone rarely experience side effects. Side effects are more common among people taking higher doses. But all patients should be aware of potential effects, which include:

• fluid retention and weight gain
  

• rounding of the face
  

• delayed wound healing
  

• bruising easily
  

• diabetes
  

• myopathy (muscle wasting)
  

• glaucoma
  

• increased blood pressure
  

• decreased calcium absorption in the bones, which can lead to osteoporosis
  

• irritation of the stomach

People taking corticosteroids may have some side effects or none at all. A patient should report any side effects to the doctor. When the medication is stopped, the side effects disappear. Because prednisone and other corticosteroid drugs change the body’s natural production of corticosteroid hormones, the patient should not stop taking the medication unless instructed by the doctor. The patient and doctor must work together to gradually reduce the medication (Source: excerpt from Questions and Answers About Polymyalgia Rheumatica and Giant Cell Arteritis: NIAMS)

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