Thus, the complications of Takayasu's arise directly or indirectly from damage to these blood vessels. The vasculitides are classified according to the size of blood vessel involved. Click image to enlarge. In the systemic phase, patients have symptoms and signs of an active inflammatory illness. There may be tenderness overlying affected arteries.
Most patients have elevations of the erythrocyte sedimentation rate during the systemic phase.
The systemic phase is succeeded by the occlusive phase, during which patients begin to develop symptoms caused by the narrowing of affected arteries. The symptoms also include dizziness upon standing up, headaches, and visual problems. High blood pressure is common, but blood pressures taken in the arms may be read as falsely low if there is a narrowing of an artery high up in the arm. With some patients, it is not possible to get accurate blood pressure readings in the arms. Using an ophthalmoscope, a physician may observe characteristic malformations of blood vessels that occur in advanced cases of Takayasu's arteritis.