Signs and Symptoms
It is more common in women than in men by a ratio of 2:1 and more common in whites than blacks. The mean age of onset is >55 years, and it is rare in those less than 55 years of age.
People present with:
- bruits
- fever
- headache
- tenderness and sensitivity on the scalp
- jaw claudication (pain in jaw when chewing)
- tongue claudication (pain in tongue when chewing) and necrosis
- reduced visual acuity (blurred vision)
- acute visual loss (sudden blindness)
- diplopia (double vision)
- acute tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
- polymyalgia rheumatica (in 50%)
The inflammation may affect blood supply to the eye and blurred vision or sudden blindness may occur. In 76% of cases involving the eye, the ophthalmic artery is involved causing arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy. Loss of vision in both eyes may occur very abruptly and this disease is therefore a medical emergency.
Read more about this topic: Giant-cell Arteritis
Famous quotes containing the words signs and, signs and/or symptoms:
“Time has an undertaking establishment on every block and drives his coffin nails faster than the steam riveters rivet or the stenographers type or the tickers tick out fours and eights and dollar signs and ciphers.”
—John Dos Passos (1896–1970)
“Comedy distances pain, but leaves signs of it everywhere.”
—Mason Cooley (b. 1927)
“Murderous desire, hatred, distrust are nowadays the accompanying signs of physical illness: so thoroughly have we embodied our moral prejudices.—Perhaps cowardice and pity appear as symptoms of illness in savage ages. Perhaps even virtues might be symptoms.”
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900)