• A chronic inflammatory process that affects the AORTA and its primary branches, such as the brachiocephalic artery (BRACHIOCEPHALIC TRUNK) and CAROTID ARTERIES. It results in progressive arterial stenosis, occlusion, and aneurysm formation. The pulse in the arm is hard to detect. Patients with aortitis syndrome often exhibit retinopathy.
  NLM Medical Subject Headings
  U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2025
• A large vessel granulomatous vasculitis affecting the aorta or its main branches and pulmonary arteries with angiographic findings of stenosis, occlusion, or aneurysm. Clinical findings include absent or asymmetric pulses (discrepancy in four limb blood pressure), bruits, hypertension, or elevation in acute phase reactants.
  NICHD Pediatric Terminology
  U.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
• A large vessel vasculitis affecting the aorta and its branches. It usually affects young females. It causes vascular obstruction, resulting in asymmetric pulses.
  NCI
  U.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
• A rare predominantly large-vessel vasculitis that is characterized by affected aorta and its major branches, but also other large vessels, causing stenosis, occlusion, or aneurysm.
  OrphaNet
  INSERM, 2021
• Takayasu arteritis is an inflammatory disease affecting the aorta, its branches, and pulmonary arteries. It occurs predominantly in young women. Etiology is unknown. Vascular inflammation may cause arterial stenosis, occlusion, dilation, or aneurysms. Patients may present with asymmetric pulses or unequal blood pressure measurements...
  Merck Manuals
  Merck & Co., Inc., 2025
• Takayasu arteritis is a rare, systemic, inflammatory large-vessel vasculitis of unknown etiology that most commonly affects women of childbearing age. It is defined as
  Medscape
  WebMD, 2025
• Takayasu's arteritis (tah-kah-YAH-sooz ahr-tuh-RIE-tis) is a rare type of vasculitis, a group of disorders that cause blood vessel inflammation. In Takayasu's arteritis, the inflammation damages the aorta - the large artery that carries blood from your heart to the rest of your body - and its main branches.
  Mayo Clinic
  Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 2025
• Takayasu arteritis is a condition that causes inflammation of the main blood vessel that carries blood from the heart to the rest of the body (aorta) and its associated branched blood vessels. As a result of the inflammation, the blood vessel walls become thick and make it difficult for blood to flow. Over time, impaired blood flow...
  NIH Genetic and Rare Diseases
  National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences
• Takayasu arteritis is a chronic granulomatous vasculitis affecting large arteries: primarily the aorta and its main branches. Vascular inflammation can cause stenosis, occlusion, and aneurysm formation. Symptoms from vascular ischemia include claudication and stroke. Diminished or absent pulses and hypertension are common. Constitutional...
  Epocrates
  Athenahealth, Inc., 2019