Takayasu’s Arteritis

Takayasu’s Arteritis General Information

Takayasu’s Arteritis is the generic medical term given to an uncommonly encountered form of vasculitis. This is a condition that is mainly characterized by the inflammation of the arteries and other blood vessels. This affection may severely damage the large blood vessels of the human body, especially the aorta and its major branches.

This affection causes the walls of the blood vessels to thicken, leading to a narrowing of the blood vessels. In turn, this reduces the amount of blood that can circulate through the vessel, which leads to a drop of the oxygen and nutrients quantities which reach the tissues. In time, this may lead to complications such as elevated blood pressure or heart failure, or other circulatory system disorders. Blood clots may also form in the narrowed blood vessels, possibly blocking the blood flow completely and causing heart attack or strokes. In some cases, aneurysms may form – instead of narrowing, the blood vessel weakens and forms a bulge which, if it breaks, the situation may become life threatening.

Although Takayasu’s Arteritis is an affection that can be encountered all over the world, it has been noted that Asian women are the most affected patients, with an incidence rate of up to 9:1 when compared to males. Typically, the condition onset is most common in patients with ages between 15 and 30.

Takayasu’s Arteritis Symptoms

There are several signs and symptoms which may be manifested in correlation with Takayasu’s Arteritis, however it is not necessary for a patient to present all of these in order for the diagnose to be placed. Also, it should be noted that there may be other symptoms as well, which are not described here. This is due to the fact that different organisms respond to certain conditions in different ways, and it is possible that in some cases the patient may experience symptoms that are very rare, or even unique to his or her case. It is highly advised that a patient experiencing any unusual and unpleasant symptoms is examined by a health care professional, in order to determine the condition he or she may be suffering from, and determine the appropriate course of action to be taken.

Among the most common signs and symptoms associated with Takayasu’s Arteritis, fever, fatigue and weight loss are typically encountered. Night sweats and muscle or joint pains may also be present. In many cases, due to the narrowing of the blood vessels, the patient may experience arm weakness and / or pain upon use. Headaches and lightheadedness are also common. The patient’s blood pressure may be elevated, and there may be differences in blood pressure measurement results in the patient’s two arms. Visual disturbances have also been reported. One of the hallmark symptoms of Takayasu’s Arteritis is the absence of the pulse at the patient’s wrist – or if it is present, it may be very weak. The patient may also experience chest pains, and may be affected by a mild case of anemia, which in turn may cause the symptoms of slight weakness and tiredness.

Takayasu’s Arteritis Treatment

Treatment for Takayasu’s Arteritis generally consists of controlling the signs and symptoms of the affection, and preventing further damage to the patient’s circulatory system – although in many cases, by the time the affection is discovered and diagnosed irreversible damage may already be present. However, early detection of the affection, as well as appropriate treatment may allow for the affection to be kept under control for long periods of time. Typically, medication treatment for Takayasu’s Arteritis consists of drugs which may cause side effects in the patient. As such, the prescribing health care professional needs to carefully balance the benefits and risks before prescribing a certain medication, as well as determining the period of time for the therapy.

Corticosteroids are the first choice in treating Takayasu’s Arteritis. Methylprednisolone and Prednisone are examples of such medication, and in most cases the disease responds well to corticosteroid therapy. The effects of the therapy generally appear within a few days, however the therapy needs to be continued for the entire period it has been prescribed for; afterwards, the therapy is stopped by gradually decreasing the dosage until the lowest dose is reached, in order to effectively control the inflammation. In this period, some of the symptoms may recur. Corticosteroid therapy may result in some side effects, such as elevated blood sugar levels, cataracts, bone calcium loss, increased risk of infections, menstrual period irregularities, easy bruising and others – for more information regarding the side effects which may appear as a result of corticosteroid therapy, you should ask a pharmacist, a doctor or a nurse.

Cytotoxic drugs may also be employed in treating Takayasu’s Arteritis. They are typically prescribed in cases when corticosteroid therapy does not positively affect the condition. Drugs such as Azathioprine, Methroxate or Cyclophosphamide may be prescribed in order to control the inflammation. However, among the side effects that are typically associated with these drugs, skin cancer and lymph node tumors are the most serious that have been noted. Another type of drugs which may be used, but have not yet been fully tested, TFN-alpha inhibitors may be an option in the treatment of this condition.

For patients with severe forms of Takayasu’s Arteritis, surgery may be employed to correct the narrowing. Bypass surgery is one of the procedures that may be used, involving the removal of a blood vessel from another part of the body and transplanting it in the affected area, in order to bypass the blocked blood vessel and allow the blood to circulate normally. Percutaneous angioplasty is another procedure, which aims to widen the blocked area by inserting a tiny balloon through the blood vessels until it reaches the narrowing, where it is expanded. A similar procedure, called stenting, involves the insertion of stents (wire mesh coils) to prop open the blood vessel in order to prevent further narrowing.

In order to determine the best treatment to follow, the patient needs to discuss with the health care professional and make sure that he is familiar with his or her medical history and general health condition, as these are factors which may contribute in determining the most appropriate procedures that need to be employed.