4. A patient presents to the Accident and Emergency department. The patient is 64 years old. The main presenting symptom is a headache with associated loss of vision. You take a further history and note that there is scalp tenderness and pain on eating. An examination reveals a pale swollen disc with an ischaemic retina. Blood tests return with an ESR of 81.What medication will you prescribe?
This question is pointing to a diagnosis of Giant cell arteritis with classical features being >60 years old, headache, acute loss of vision, unilateral scalp tenderness, Jaw claudication, Pale swollen disc and an ischaemic retina. It is very important on suspicion of this diagnosis to start steroids such as Prednisolone immediately.
