Treatment

Treatment is started as soon as the disease is suspected, usually as follows:

30mg of Prednisolone as a part of the treatment of Polymyalgia Rheumatica but in the event of symptoms such as headache, double vision and jaw claudication the dose may be increased up to 60mg Prednisolone per day.

This is highly effective in reducing inflammation and preventing complications such as blindness and stroke, which pose a real risk in this condition.

Sometimes Immunosuppressive drugs may be used.

Biopsy of the temporal artery must be performed before treatment has been in place for 48 hours, otherwise the results will be negative. Treatment must not be delayed.

The dose of steroid is gradually reduced over the following few months to a maintenance dose. This dose would be reduced to the lowest possible to minimise side effects whilst balancing disease activity. A sensible slow reduction programme would be undertaken once the condition is under control. It would be expected that treatment would be withdrawn 2-3 years after starting.

The 10% to 15% of cases who may have a second attack at a later date, also respond, again, to treatment.

Amended November 2008