title: [Dutch College of General Practitioner's practice guideline on polymyalgia rheumatica and temporal arteritis].
abstract: The practice guideline for general practitioners (GPs) on polymyalgia rheumatica and temporal arteritis was published in February 2010 by the Dutch College of General Practitioners. This guideline provides GPs with recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of polymyalgia rheumatica. After other disorders have been excluded, the diagnosis of 'polymyalgia rheumatica' is made in patients over the age of 50 who have bilateral pain in the neck and shoulder girdle and/or hip girdle that has lasted for longer than 4 weeks, morning stiffness that lasts longer than 60 minutes and an ESR > 40 mm in the first hour. After the diagnosis is made treatment with prednisone or prednisolone 15 mg per day is started. This dosage is diminished very gradually according to a uniform treatment schedule during a period of 3 months, thereafter depending on the clinical course. The practice guideline pays attention to the diagnosis and management of temporal arteritis only when it occurs concurrently with polymyalgia rheumatica.
authors.affiliation: Nederlands Huisartsen Genootschap, afd. Richtlijnontwikkeling en Wetenschap, Utrecht, The Netherlands. W.Eizenga@nhg.org
authors.forename: Wietze H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Eizenga
authors.forename: Louwe
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hakvoort
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dubbeld
authors.forename: Roeland M M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Geijer
authors.forename: A N Lex
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Goudswaard
mesh_terms: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005194:Family Practice / Q000592:standards*; D013700:Giant Cell Arteritis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D009426:Netherlands; D011111:Polymyalgia Rheumatica / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012955:Societies, Medical
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D011241:Prednisone