Takayasu arteritis is a rare disorder characterized by the progressive inflammation of one or more of the larger arteries leading from the heart. The main artery of the heart (aorta) and the pulmonary (lung) artery, among others, may be affected. When this disorder causes progressive inflammation of many arteries, it is known as polyarteritis. One of the consequences of polyarteritis is the reduction of blood flow to any of several organs and/or arms and legs. Arteries in the head and arms may be affected, and this can result in the loss of the major pulse points in the body. Some people with Takayasu arteritis have irregular narrowing of portions of the large arteries (segmental stenosis) and abnormal backward flow of blood from the aorta into the left ventricle of the heart (aortic regurgitation). Other patients may have symptoms of ballooning and weakening (aneurysm) of the wall of a major vessel.

The symptoms of young female arteritis or Takayasu's arteritis occur in two stages.

1. In the first or systemic phase, patients have symptoms of an active inflammatory illness. They include constitutional symptoms like fever, fatigue, weight loss, arthritis and non-specific aches and pains. There may be Tenderness overlying affected arteries. Most patients have elevated Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rates during this phase.

2. The systemic phase is followed by the occlusive phase, during which patients develop symptoms caused by the narrowing of affected arteries. These may include pain in the limbs that occurs during repetitive activities or pain in the calves by walking. Dizziness upon standing up, headaches, and visual problems also occur.

Systemic Phase- constitutional symptoms:
1. Headache
2. Malaise
3. Arthralgias
4. Fever
5. Weight loss

Occlusive phase- cardiac and vascular symptoms:
1. Bruit, with the most common location being the carotid artery
2. The blood pressure difference in extremities
3. Claudication
4. Carotodynia or vessel Tenderness
5. Hypertension
6. Aortic regurgitation
7. Raynaud phenomenon
8. Pericarditis
9. Congestive heart failure
10. Myocardial infarction

Neurologic symptoms:
1. Headache
2. Visual disturbance - Strong association with common carotid and vertebral artery disease
3. Stroke
4. Transient ischemic attacks
5. Seizures

Dermatologic manifestations include the following:
1. Erythema nodosum
2. Ulcerated subacute nodular Lesions
3. Pyoderma gangrenosum

Symptoms
Early-stage symptoms of Takayasu’s arteritis: fever, Fatigue and pain in muscles or joints,Later-stage symptoms of Takayasu’s arteritis: chest pain, shortness of breath, Headache and dizziness
Conditions
Asymmetric pulses or BP measurements,Limb claudication,Transient visual disturbances,Transient ischemic attacks, strokes,Headache,Malaise,Fever,Weight loss,High blood pressure
Drugs
Medicines like tocilizumab help control inflammation,Corticosteroids like prednisone, prednisolone Trexall, Cytoxan, Imuran, etc.,Surgical repair,Cytotoxic agents like methotrexate,Use of Anti-TNF agents,A strict control of hypertension,Changes in lifestyle,Careful monitoring of affected expectant mother and fetus

Young female arteritis or Takayasu arteritis is an inflammatory disease of large and medium-sized arteries, like the aorta and its branches. Lesions produced by the inflammatory process are stenotic, occlusive or aneurysmal. All aneurysmal lesions have areas of arterial narrowing.

1. Vascular changes lead to severe complications like hypertension. It is most often due to renal artery stenosis or stenosis of the suprarenal aorta, aortic valve involvement, pulmonary hypertension, aortic or arterial aneurysm.
2. As with most types of vasculitis, the cause of young female arteritis or Takayasu's arteritis is not known.
3. Generally, more than one case in a family has not been observed; hence the role of genetics is unclear.
4. What causes the initial inflammation in Takayasu's arteritis or young female arteritis is not clear.
5. The condition is likely an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the blood vessels or arteries by mistake.
6. Some evidence suggests that the disease is caused due to infection by bacteria, viruses or other microorganisms.

Symptoms
Early-stage symptoms of Takayasu’s arteritis: fever, fatigue and pain in muscles or joints,Later-stage symptoms of Takayasu’s arteritis: chest pain, shortness of breath, headache and dizziness
Conditions
Asymmetric pulses or BP measurements,Limb claudication,Transient visual disturbances,Transient ischemic attacks, strokes,Headache,Malaise,Fever,Weight loss,High blood pressure
Drugs
Medicines like tocilizumab help control inflammation,Corticosteroids like prednisone, prednisolone Trexall, Cytoxan, Imuran, etc.,Surgical repair,Cytotoxic agents like methotrexate,Use of Anti-TNF agents,A strict control of hypertension,Changes in lifestyle,Careful monitoring of affected expectant mother and fetus

The treatment for young female arteritis or Takayasu arteritis depends on the two most important aspects -controlling the inflammatory process and controlling hypertension. This is achieved by -

1. Long-term, low-dose corticosteroid therapy. Oral corticosteroids are started at 1 mg/kg daily and tapered as symptoms subside.
2. Cytotoxic agents to taper long-term corticosteroid treatment.
3. Anti-TNF therapy is a useful addition to corticosteroids.
4. Humanized monoclonal antibody tocilizumab. It has a steroid-sparing effect and reduces incidences of relapse.
5. Cytotoxic agents like Methotrexate, azathioprine and cyclophosphamide are used.
6. Use of Rituximab.
7. Close monitoring of expectant mother and fetus
8. Surgical intervention is carried out when drug therapy is ineffective. This is generally in the form of bypass surgery or valvular surgery if required. Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) is effective for short lesions. All these, along with diet modification and lifestyle changes, are necessary to manage hypertension or renal failure.
9. ICU care in hospital care is required to manage acute forms of the disease, which usually result in complications arising from organ failure, stroke, pregnancy, seizures, and intracranial hemorrhage.

Symptoms
Early-stage symptoms of Takayasu’s arteritis: fever, fatigue and pain in muscles or joints,Later-stage symptoms of Takayasu’s arteritis: chest pain, shortness of breath, headache and dizziness
Conditions
Asymmetric pulses or BP measurements,Limb claudication,Transient visual disturbances,Transient ischemic attacks, strokes,Headache,Malaise,Fever,Weight loss,High blood pressure
Drugs
Medicines like tocilizumab help control inflammation,Corticosteroids like prednisone, prednisolone Trexall, Cytoxan, Imuran, etc.,Surgical repair,Cytotoxic agents like methotrexate,Use of Anti-TNF agents,A strict control of hypertension,Changes in lifestyle,Careful monitoring of affected expectant mother and fetus

Young female arteritis or Takayasu's arteritis (TA) is a chronic, granulomatous, full-thickness arteritis of an unknown etiology. The aorta and its main branches are affected mainly in TA. It has been characterized as an inflammatory disease related to heredity and autoimmunity.

1. It is a rare disease that primarily affects girls and women younger than 40.
2. The disorder is prevalent globally but is more common in Asia and the Middle East.
3. Sometimes, the condition runs in families as certain genes associated with Takayasu's arteritis have been identified.
4. It is believed that TA patients affected with coronary artery disease have a serious and longer duration of the disease than patients without coronary artery disease.
5. The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system and oxidative stress are activated by renal dysfunction. It leads to an increase in the synthesis of endothelin and inflammatory factors, which in turn increase the production of oxygen free radicals in cells. This along with a variety of risk factors like age, obesity, smoking, hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, hyperuricemia, etc., lead to endothelial dysfunction, a risk that can cause lesions leading to TA or young female arteritis.

Symptoms
Early-stage symptoms of Takayasu’s arteritis: fever, fatigue and pain in muscles or joints,Later-stage symptoms of Takayasu’s arteritis: chest pain, shortness of breath, headache and dizziness
Conditions
Asymmetric pulses or BP measurements,Limb claudication,Transient visual disturbances,Transient ischemic attacks, strokes,Headache,Malaise,Fever,Weight loss,High blood pressure
Drugs
Medicines like tocilizumab help control inflammation,Corticosteroids like prednisone, prednisolone Trexall, Cytoxan, Imuran, etc.,Surgical repair,Cytotoxic agents like methotrexate,Use of Anti-TNF agents,A strict control of hypertension,Changes in lifestyle,Careful monitoring of affected expectant mother and fetus

The treatment of Takayasu's arteritis or young female arteritis focuses on controlling inflammation with medications and preventing further damage to your blood vessels.

The problem with young female arteritis is that the disease remains active even if the symptoms improve. However, if you don't have any signs and symptoms, you may need not undergo treatment.

Medications:

1. Corticosteroids to control inflammation: Corticosteroids, such as prednisone (Prednisone Intensol, Rayos), are usually the first line of treatment. Since the condition is active, even if you start feeling better, you may need to continue taking the drug long-term. After a few months, you may be prescribed lower doses. Eventually, your doctor may tell you to stop taking the medication completely.

2. Immuno-suppressants: If your condition doesn't respond well to corticosteroids, your doctor may prescribe drugs such as methotrexate (Trexall, Xatmep, others), azathioprine (Azasan, Imuran) and leflunomide (Arava). Some people respond well to medications that were developed for people receiving organ transplants, such as mycophenolate mofetil (CellCept).

3. Medications to regulate the immune system: If your body fails to respond to standard treatments, your doctor may suggest drugs that correct abnormalities in the immune system- biologics like etanercept (Enbrel), infliximab (Remicade) and tocilizumab (Actemra). However, more research is needed in this case.

Symptoms
Early-stage symptoms of Takayasu’s arteritis: fever, fatigue and pain in muscles or joints,Later-stage symptoms of Takayasu’s arteritis: chest pain, shortness of breath, headache and dizziness
Conditions
Asymmetric pulses or BP measurements,Limb claudication,Transient visual disturbances,Transient ischemic attacks, strokes,Headache,Malaise,Fever,Weight loss,High blood pressure
Drugs
Medicines like tocilizumab help control inflammation,Corticosteroids like prednisone, prednisolone Trexall, Cytoxan, Imuran, etc.,Surgical repair,Cytotoxic agents like methotrexate,Use of Anti-TNF agents,A strict control of hypertension,Changes in lifestyle,Careful monitoring of affected expectant mother and fetus