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Nursing Older People with Arthritis and other Rheumatological Conditions pp 45–64Cite as

Polymyalgia Rheumatica

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Part of the Perspectives in Nursing Management and Care for Older Adults book series (PNMCOA)

Abstract

Older people presenting with sudden onset shoulder or hip girdle, aches and stiffness may have polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR), one of the most common inflammatory conditions affecting people over the age of 70. While sometimes self-limiting and often successfully managed with oral glucocorticoid therapy, PMR is associated with giant cell arteritis (GCA), which can lead to permanent blindness. This chapter examines a typical PMR patient presentation, discusses differential diagnoses and identifies what nurses should include in their assessment, education and management of patients with PMR and observance for GCA.

Keywords

  • Polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR)
  • Assessment
  • Management
  • Patient education
  • Giant cell arteritis (GCA)

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  1. School of Primary, Community and Social Care, Keele University, Newcastle, UK

    Anne O’Brien

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  1. Anne O’Brien
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Correspondence to Anne O’Brien .

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  1. Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust Haywood Hospital, Stoke-On-Trent, Staffordshire, UK

    Dr. Sarah Ryan

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O’Brien, A. (2020). Polymyalgia Rheumatica. In: Ryan, S. (eds) Nursing Older People with Arthritis and other Rheumatological Conditions . Perspectives in Nursing Management and Care for Older Adults. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-18012-6_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-18012-6_4

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