Language
Country/Area
No result found
A Hidden Threat in the Elderly: Do You Know Who Giant Cell Arteritis Affects?
Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA), also known as temporal arteritis, is an inflammatory autoimmune disease that affects large blood vessels. This disease mainly occurs in people over 50 years old, and is especially common in the elderly over 70 years old. Symptoms associated with GCA include headaches, temporal pain, flu-like symptoms, double vision and difficulty opening the mouth. If not treated promptly, it may lead to serious consequences such as blindness.
GCA's impact on vision is irreversible, so early diagnosis and treatment are crucial.
Symptoms and complications
GCA symptoms vary, the most common of which include headache, scalp tenderness, jaw or tongue pain when chewing, and visual impairment. These symptoms can lead to acute vision loss if not recognized quickly. Approximately 76% of GCA patients experience eye-related symptoms, including optic ischemic neuropathy. This makes GCA considered a medical emergency.
In about half of GCA cases, polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) co-exists, which makes its diagnosis more complicated.
Diagnosis and testing
The diagnosis of GCA usually relies on the patient's clinical manifestations, blood tests, and medical imaging examinations. Although biopsy is the gold standard for diagnosis, approximately 10% of patients may have normal biopsy results. In addition, ultrasound examination can show vascular changes, such as the "halo sign", which can help further diagnosis.
Treatment options
Because GCA can cause irreversible vision loss, high-dose steroid therapy is initiated as soon as the diagnosis is suspected. The dose of steroids is usually reduced gradually. Some patients may still experience relapses on low doses of steroids, making regular medical checkups and monitoring particularly important.
Studies have shown that the symptoms of most GCA patients can be effectively controlled after using steroids, but they still need to pay attention to the occurrence of side effects.
Epidemiology and impact
The incidence of GCA is approximately 1 in 15,000 people per year, and the risk of developing the disease increases with age. The incidence rate in women is approximately twice that in men. Due to the invisible nature of GCA and its potentially serious consequences, many people know little about this disease. Understanding the impact of this disease will help high-risk groups receive early diagnosis and treatment and prevent vision loss.
ConclusionGiant cell arteritis not only affects the patient's physical health, but also has a profound impact on their quality of life. Many patients say that long-term pain and vision loss have greatly reduced their quality of life.
As the global elderly population increases, the health threat of GCA to the elderly population will gradually become more prominent. It is crucial to raise awareness among the public and the medical community about this invisible health threat. Do you also know of any elderly people around you who may be facing this invisible threat?
