Overview Temporal arteritis , also known as giant cell arteritis, is an inflammatory condition affecting the medium-sized blood vessels that supply the head, eyes, and optic nerves. The disease usually affects those over 60 years of age and causes the vessels in the temple and scalp to become swollen and tender. Women are approximately 4 times more likely to suffer from this disease then men. The major concern with temporal arteritis is vision loss, although if allowed to progress, it may affect arteries in other areas of the body. This condition is potentially vision threatening, however, if treated promptly, permanent vision loss can be prevented.
Vision is threatened when the inflamed arteries obstruct blood flow to the eyes and optic nerves .
If untreated, permanent vision loss can occur from oxygen deprivation to the retina and optic nerve. The ESR test measures the time it takes for the erythrocytes to collect in the bottom of a test tube. The sediment layer of erythrocytes is measured in millimeters and recorded. An abnormally high ESR is indicative of active inflammation. C-reactive protein is produced in the liver.