Hypertensive encephalopathy complicating Takayasu's disease

Abstract:

Takayasu's disease is a chronic inflammatory arteriopathy of unknown cause that mainly affects the aorta and its major branches, causing ischemic symptoms in different organs, including the CNS. We report a patient with Takayasu's disease who develped neurological complications during the course of the disease. Such complications were related to a severe arterial hypertension. The diagnosis was suspected on the basis of an abnormal cardiovascular examination that showed absent distal pulses, a carotid bruit, femoral bruits, and marked assymetries in blood pressure determinations. The aortogram showed that the patients had Takayasu's disease Type III, with affection of the aortic arch, supra-aortic trunks, and the descending aorta. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate was normal, and the patient did not receive corticosteroids. Takayasu's disease should be suspected in young patients, especially women, presenting with a hypertensive encephalopathy who also have an abnormal cardiovascular examination. The diagnosis is usually confirmed by aortography. Corticosteroid therapy is of value only in patients with an elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate.

Año de publicación:

1995

Keywords:

Fuente:

scopus