Horton's disease is a disease of the arteries affecting particularly the elderly. Women are twice as affected as men.
For some reason, the immune system produces antibodies that fight tissue. Horton's disease usually affects the cephalic vessels.
The main symptoms are headaches, visual disturbances, weight loss, fatigue. Chewing causes pain in the jaw. According affected arteries, the disease can cause joint pain.
The diagnosis of temporal arteritis is based inter alia on the reduction of pulsation at the temporal artery, the patient's age and the presence of recent headaches. Other tests will confirm the diagnosis.
Horton's disease is treated with anti-inflammatory (cortisone). Without treatment, patients risk blindness
13 avril 2010
| The text above is for information purposes only. Only a doctor can diagnose a disease. No treatment (medication or scheme) should be undertaken without consulting a health professional. |