Management of Suspected Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA) - Flowchart

Management of Suspected Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA) - Flowchart

Management of Suspected Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA) - Flowchart Management of Suspected Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA) Management of Suspected Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA)

Flowchart

Start

Start

Start

Patient over 50 with new-onset headache or visual symptoms

Patient over 50 with new-onset headache or visual symptoms

Patient over 50 with new-onset headache or visual symptoms

Seek urgent advice from rheumatologist

Seek urgent advice from rheumatologist

Seek urgent advice from rheumatologist

End

End

End

Key observations (Table 1.1)
Focused assessment (see text) and Tables 15.1 (headache) and 19.1 (visual loss))
If visual symptoms, seek urgent advice from ophthalmologist
Check FBC, C-reactive protein, ESR, biochemical profile and blood glucose, and obtain CXR

Key observations (Table 1.1)
Focused assessment (see text) and Tables 15.1 (headache) and 19.1 (visual loss))
If visual symptoms, seek urgent advice from ophthalmologist
Check FBC, C-reactive protein, ESR, biochemical profile and blood glucose, and obtain CXR

Key observations (Table 1.1)
Focused assessment (see text) and Tables 15.1 (headache) and 19.1 (visual loss))
If visual symptoms, seek urgent advice from ophthalmologist
Check FBC, C-reactive protein, ESR, biochemical profile and blood glucose, and obtain CXR

Table 1.1
Tables 15.1 19.1

Start prednisolone 1 mg/kg per day, with gastric and bone protection
Temporal artery ultrasound or biopsy within 7 days of starting prednisolone

Start prednisolone 1 mg/kg per day, with gastric and bone protection
Temporal artery ultrasound or biopsy within 7 days of starting prednisolone

Start prednisolone 1 mg/kg per day, with gastric and bone protection
Temporal artery ultrasound or biopsy within 7 days of starting prednisolone

Pursue other diagnoses

Pursue other diagnoses

Pursue other diagnoses

GCA possible?

GCA possible?

GCA possible?

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

No

No