giant cell arteritis

arteritis /ar·ter·i·tis/ (ahr″ter-i´tis) pl. arteri´tides   inflammation of an artery.

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aortic arch arteritis  Takayasu's a.

brachiocephalic arteritis , arteritis brachiocepha´lica Takayasu's a.

coronary arteritis  inflammation of the coronary arteries.

cranial arteritis  giant cell a.

giant cell arteritis  a chronic vascular disease of unknown origin, usually in the carotid arterial system, occurring in the elderly; it is characterized by severe headache, fever, and proliferative inflammation, often with giant cells and granulomas. Ocular involvement may cause blindness.

rheumatic arteritis  generalized inflammation of arterioles and arterial capillaries occurring in rheumatic fever.

Takayasu's arteritis  pulseless disease; progressive obliteration of the brachiocephalic trunk and left subclavian and left common carotid arteries, leading to loss of pulse in arms and carotids and to ischemia of brain, eyes, face, and arms.

temporal arteritis  giant cell a.

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giant cell arteritis

n.

See temporal arteritis.

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Giant cell arteritis

Also called temporal arteritis. A condition which causes the inflammation of temporal arteries. It can cause blindness when the inflammation effects the ophthalmic artery.

Mentioned in: Polymyalgia Rheumatica

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giant cell arteritis.

See temporal arteritis.

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arteritis

inflammation of an artery. See also endarteritis, periarteritis nodosa.

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elaeophoral arteritis

see elaeophora.

equine viral arteritis

see equine viral arteritis.

giant cell arteritis

temporal arteritis.

mycotic arteritis

usually results from extension of an infection by Mucor spp. which produce a necrotizing, thrombotic arteritis.

arteritis obliterans

endarteritis obliterans.

uremic arteritis

occurs in acute renal failure in the dog. Often accompanied by an endocarditis.

verminous arteritis

see verminous mesenteric arteritis.

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arteritis, temporal 

An inflammatory disease of the wall of arteries, mainly of the extracranial vessels, which occurs in people who are over 60 years of age. The condition is characterized by headache and pain in muscles and joints, such as those of the jaws, tender or non-pulsating temporal artery, and sometimes fever. A sudden loss of vision in one eye (amaurosis fugax) may occur in the first few weeks after the onset of the disease due to an occlusion of either the central retinal artery or of the short posterior ciliary arteries that supply the optic nerve. Prompt administration of systemic corticosteroids (e.g. hydrocortisone) has been found to be of great value in the management of this condition. Syn. giant cell arteritis (strictly speaking this term is usually reserved for a more generalized condition). See amaurosis fugax; ischaemic optic neuropathy; Adie's pupil.

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giant cell arteritis

Cranial arteritis, Horton's disease, temporal arteritis Neurology A condition that affects > age 50, incidence 18:100,000/yr, characterized by arterial vasculitis; it can lead to blindness and/or stroke Clinical New-onset headache, scalp tenderness, jaw claudication, polymyalgia rheumatica Diagnosis Arterial Bx Management High dose corticosteroids. See Vasculitis.