Giant Cell Arteritis

Giant Cell Arteritis – General Information

The Giant Cell Arteritis (also abbreviated GCA) is the inflammation of the lining of the arteries (the arteries are the blood vessels which transport the blood which is rich in oxygen from the heart to the organs and the rest of the body. Although this medical condition can affect any of the arteries (such as those localized in the neck, arms, or in the upper body) the disease usually appears and develops in the arteries in the head, especially in area of the temples. This is the reason for which this disease is also named temporal arteritis or cranial arteritis or granulomatous arteritis (the last name is a direct reference to a specific type of inflammation). The persons who are at a risk of developing Giant Cell Arteritis are those older than 50, the women are also more exposed of developing this disease than men. It is well known that this medical condition can affect all the people no matter the race, but it is a reality that the majority of the people who are suffering from it are white people. People who are suffering from an arthritic condition called polymyalgia rheumatica (which is also abbreviated PMR) are more likely to develop this disease. The arteries are pliable tubes with thick and elastic walls. The oxygenated blood leaves the heart through the principal artery in the body called aorta, which subdivides into smaller arteries which irrigate all of the body. In the persons who are suffering from Giant Cell Arteritis the arteries become inflamed and swelled leading to an improper irrigation of the body and especially of the brain.

Giant Cell Arteritis – Symptoms

It is well known the fact that any medical disorder (including Giant Cell Arteritis) can trigger a variety of symptoms. Therefore, some of this medical condition's most uncommon symptoms have not been listed (mentioned) here. This is why we strongly recommend you to contact your personal health care provider whenever you develop any unusual, bothersome or unpleasant symptoms. Your personal physician will be able to tell you if you are suffering from Giant Cell Arteritis or from any other medical disorder. Here is a list of the most common symptoms that a person who suffers from Giant Cell Arteritis, may experience: head pain and tenderness (which is often very severe and in the majority of the cases appears in both temples, but it may also appear in only one temple), flu-like symptoms, muscle aches (also known as myalgia), fever, fatigue, headaches, decrease visual acuity, double vision, jaw pain (also known as jaw claudication) which usually appears when the persons chews), scalp tenderness (the patient’s scalp may hurt when they comb or when they lay their head on a pillow, and it hurts especially in the areas where the inflamed arteries are localized). The stroke and blindness develop when the arteries become swelled and do not irrigate enough the brain.

Giant Cell Arteritis – Treatment

The Giant Cell Arteritis is suspected when a person over the age of 50 develops the symptoms listed above and also suddenly blindness (it has been shown that aspirin taken in low doses reduces the risk of developing a stroke or visual loss). The diagnosis is established after a series of blood tests which in the case of this medical condition will reveal a blood inflammation by the elevation of the number of erythrocytes sedimentation and C-reactive protein. If these signs are positive, then the doctor in order to confirm the diagnosis will make an artery biopsy. The artery biopsy is usually done using the artery which is localized on the scalp and called temporal artery. The tissue from this zone is irrigated by many blood vessels and after the removal of a small part of the artery it will regenerate quickly. The principal scope of the treatment is to suppress the inflammation which develops within the arteries. Usually, once diagnosis is established, the doctors recommend high doses of medications which have in their composition cortisone. These medications can be taken either orally or intravenously. The treatment based on cortisone medicines are associated with side effects such as weight gain, decreased functions of the immune system, bruising, sweats, increased blood sugar levels (which can lead to diabetes), thinning skin, erratic emotions, puffiness of the face and many others.

The treatment of Giant Cell Arteritis is associated with a high risk of bone toxicity which can result in osteoporosis, this is why many doctor recommend the patients to take vitamin D and calcium supplements. Usually the women who are under treatment with cortisone medicines are recommended to take osteoporosis medicines (which may include estrogen, risedronate, and alendronate) and to test their bone density regularly. The treatment of Giant Cell Arteritis can also be based on drugs such as prednisone, because the corticosteroids are anti-inflammatory drugs which can relieve the pain. It is recommended not to use corticosteroid drugs for long periods of time as it can lead to serious side effects, such as osteoporosis, muscle weakness, cataracts, and high blood pressure.

Giant Cell Arteritis usually responds to the treatments based on corticosteroids, there are very rare cases which do not respond. In the cases in which the patients do not respond to cortisone the doctor tried treating the patients with stronger medications, which suppress the immune system, such as methotrexate. But the treatment with methotrexate is still researched. The effects of the Giant Cell Arteritis usually depend on the location of the inflamed arteries and on the amount of the inflammation. This medical condition usually passes away after 2 or 3 years, this means that the patients can stop taking the medicines prescribed by their personal health care provider after 2 or 3 years, but this should only be done with the doctor’s approval. Although there are fortunate cases in which the disease can be treated in 2 or 3 years, there are also cases in which the patients have to take the medications for the rest of their lives.