How do you counsel patients with GCA on the benefits of steroids who have already experienced vision loss?
I first tell the patient they are at considerable risk for further visual loss in the same eye or the other eye over the next 1-2 weeks.
I also let them know that, even though their risk of visual loss has been reduced, their best option for preventing further visual loss is immediately starting hig...
Dr. @Dr. First Last has lucidly outlined a time-tested, effective, and clinically proven regimen for GCA that underscores the unenviable limitations of prescribing a prolonged steroid taper for elderly (ouch! my age) patients with GCA. If started after an acute steroid "cool-down," Tocilizumab/IL-6 ...
Agree wholeheartedly with Dr. @Dr. First Last's comments. I would add one thing I do to mitigate long-term corticosteroid side effects. I taper every other day, e.g., from 60 mg daily to 70-30, then 70-10, then to 60 every other day, and so on. This speeds up achieving every other day steroids, whic...