Temporal arteritis: an approach to suspected vasculitides

Temporal arteritis, also known as giant cell arteritis, is the most common vasculitis in adults. Classic symptoms include polymyalgia rheumatica, new-onset headache, jaw claudication, and visual symptoms such as diplopia and amaurosis fugax. Elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate is a common laboratory finding in temporal arteritis, and abnormalities on temporal artery biopsy are the gold standard for diagnosis. Rapid treatment with steroids can prevent permanent vision loss, which is the worst ischemic complication of the disease. It is important for primary care physicians to be able to recognize the signs and symptoms of this disease and begin treatment rapidly.