What Is Temporal Arteritis Or Horton’s Arteritis

Temporal arteritis causes pain and tenderness in the area of ​​the temples. In addition, it can cause fever, blindness, and pain in other areas of the body.

Temporal arteritis is also known as giant cell arteritis. In fact, it is also called Horton’s arteritis. It is a vasculitis of the arteries of great caliber. That is, it consists of an inflammation of the blood vessels.

It is a systemic disease. However, it mainly affects one or more branches of the carotid arteries. Specifically, to the temporal arteries, hence its name. Temporal arteritis is the most common vasculitis in adults. It usually affects people over 50 years of age. In this article we explain what it consists of.

Why does temporal arteritis occur?

What happens in temporal arteritis is that the lining of the arteries becomes inflamed. This causes them to swell, reducing the amount of blood flowing through the vessel.

The causes of inflammation of these arteries are unknown. It is believed to be the product of an abnormal attack by the immune system on the artery walls. In addition, it appears that the disorder has some genetic influence. There is probably a genetic predisposition to suffer it.

Cell aging could also be involved in its pathogenesis. Elastin, when altered, could stimulate the immune system, which is the protagonist.

Risk factor’s

There are certain factors that could influence the development of temporal arteritis:

• Age: usually affects adults over 50 years of age.
• The race. Temporal arteritis is more common in Caucasians
• To be a woman. Women are almost twice as likely to have it.
• Family background. As we have mentioned, there could be a certain genetic predisposition.

Symptoms

The predominant symptom in temporal arteritis is headache. It usually occurs in the temples. It also highlights the sensitivity in the hair in this area. The pain does not follow a fixed pattern. It can get progressively worse, come and go, or even temporarily decrease. There are other symptoms that may appear:

• General malaise and fever.
• Muscle pains. They can occur in the arm, neck, jaw, and so on. In the jaw it usually occurs when chewing.
• Fatigue and weakness
• Vision problems. Thus, the patient may suffer from double or blurred vision. You can even be blind.
• Joint stiffness

Some symptoms, such as stiffness or pain in the shoulders and hips, are related to polymyalgia rheumatica. It is a disorder that is confused with temporal arteritis.

Diagnosis of temporal arteritis

Horton’s arteritis is not easy to diagnose. First of all, other pathologies with similar symptoms must be ruled out. A good medical history is essential.

In addition, the doctor must perform a thorough physical examination. You will find tenderness in the temporal arteries. The pulse is also perceived to be reduced.

However, it is advisable to carry out additional tests. Ideally, do a blood test first. In it, C-reactive protein is evaluated with more attention. It is a substance that rises in the blood when there is an inflammatory process.

Imaging tests can also be done. Positron emission tomography stands out. With it you can see the areas of inflammation. Similarly, Doppler ultrasound and magnetic resonance angiography are used. Doppler ultrasound makes images of blood flow. In addition, it is a minimally invasive test.

However, the best method to confirm the diagnosis is biopsy. A sample is taken from the temporal artery. For this, local anesthesia is used. The sample is analyzed in the laboratory. If the patient suffers from temporal arteritis, cells with a large size will be observed.

Treatment

The main treatment is based on the administration of corticosteroids. Mainly, prednisone is used. In fact, it is often used before confirming the diagnosis. Symptoms usually improve within a few days. However, the duration of treatment is one or two years. The dose of prednisone should be gradually decreased during this period.

Similarly, it is important to know that corticosteroids have numerous side effects. These include osteoporosis, high blood pressure and weakness. To counteract these effects, there are a series of measures: