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Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staff
First-stage symptoms
Symptoms of Takayasu's arteritis often occur in two stages. In the first stage, you're likely to feel unwell, with:
- Fatigue
- Night sweats
- Rapid, unintended weight loss
- Muscle or joint pain
- Fever, sometimes
Not everyone has these initial symptoms, however, and it's possible for inflammation to damage arteries for years before problems appear.
Second-stage symptoms
Second-stage symptoms begin to develop when inflammation has caused arteries to narrow, reducing the amount of blood, oxygen and nutrients reaching your tissues. These symptoms may include:
- Arm weakness or pain with use (claudication)
- Lightheadedness, headaches
- Visual disturbances
- High blood pressure
- Difference in blood pressure between your two arms
- Diminished or absent pulse in the wrists — Takayasu's arteritis is sometimes called pulseless disease because narrowed arteries can make normal pulses difficult or impossible to detect
- Mild anemia, which may make you feel tired or weak
- Chest pain
- In some people, high blood pressure in the arteries in the lungs (pulmonary hypertension) leading to shortness of breath and fatigue
When to see a doctor
If you have symptoms that might suggest Takayasu's arteritis, see your doctor. Many signs and symptoms of Takayasu's arteritis are similar to those of other conditions, which can make diagnosis challenging. Still, early detection of the disease is important for getting the most benefit from treatment and preventing complications.
If you've already been diagnosed with Takayasu's arteritis, keep in mind that the symptoms of a disease flare (recurrence) are often similar to those that occurred when the disease first began. Also pay attention to any new signs or symptoms; these may indicate either a disease flare or a complication of treatment.
- Anton E. Large vessel arteritis: A diagnostic challenge in the elderly. Journal of Clinical Pathology. 2005;58(7):782.
- Vasculitis syndromes of the central and peripheral nervous systems fact sheet. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/vasculitis/detail_vasculitis.htm. Accessed Aug. 8, 2008.
- Johnston SL, et al. Takayasu arteritis: A review. Journal of Clinical Pathology. 2002;55(7):481-486.
- Takayasu's arteritis. Merck Manuals Online Medical Library. http://www.merck.com/mmhe/sec05/ch069/ch069f.html. Accessed Aug. 8, 2008.
- Kis B, et al. Severe supraaortal atherosclerotic disease resembling Takayasu's arteritis. Vascular Health Risk Management. 2007;3(3):351-354.
- Kissin EY, et al. Diagnostic imaging in Takayasu arteritis. Current Opinion in Rheumatology. 2004;16(3):31-37.
- Liang P, et al. Advances in the medical and surgical treatment of Takayasu arteritis. Current Opinion in Rheumatology. 2005;17(1):16-24.
- de Franciscis S, et al. The management of Takayasu's arteritis: Personal experience. Annals of Vascular Surgery. 2007;21(6):754-760.
