Arteritis de Takayasu: presentaciÓn de cuatro casos y revisiÓn de la literatura

We describe four cases of Takayasu arteritis that show how variable this disease is regarding to its clinical manifestations and response to treatment. This illness can be suspected in young patients with arterial hypertension, pulse deficiency, neurological symptoms, such as dizziness and vertigo due to head movements, coronary disease, aortic insufficiency, stroke and symptoms of vascular arterial insufficiency of the limbs. The diagnosis is based on the clinical manifestations that can be observed when the patient is checked and by arteriography, leaving the biopsy because of his potential risk, to confirm the diagnosis only in cases in which surgery is performed in order to apply a therapeutic decision. Because the course of this disease is chronic and impredictable, it is necessary to take multidisciplinary decisions, due to the morbidity of the pathology and the treatment that requires a wide range of therapeutic and surgical schemes.