GCA
Abbreviation with 2 meanings
| Stands for | Giant cell arteritis |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 2 |
| Categories | Medical, Government & Politics |
GCA has two meanings. It stands for Giant cell arteritis (musculoskeletal & rheumatology) or Gun Control Act of 1968 (US law).
Meanings of GCA at a glance
| # | GCA stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Giant cell arteritis | Medical › Musculoskeletal & Rheumatology |
| 2 | Gun Control Act of 1968 | Government & Politics › US Law |
1. Giant cell arteritis
Medical · Musculoskeletal & Rheumatology Abbreviations
Vasculitis of large and medium arteries in people over 50, classically the temporal arteries, causing new headache, scalp tenderness, jaw pain on chewing and fever. Sudden permanent vision loss can occur, so high-dose steroids are started immediately when it is suspected.
Example: Suspected GCA, ESR 96, jaw claudication; prednisone 60 mg today, temporal artery biopsy within 2 weeks.
Also called temporal arteritis or Horton disease. Biopsy can remain diagnostic for about two weeks after steroids start, and vascular ultrasound is an alternative. Tocilizumab, approved for GCA in 2017, reduces steroid exposure. The disease is most common in people of Northern European descent.
2. Gun Control Act of 1968
Government & Politics · US Law Abbreviations
Federal law that requires gun dealers to be licensed, bars certain people, such as felons and some people with mental illness, from possessing firearms, restricts interstate gun sales and requires serial numbers on firearms. The ATF enforces it.
Example: The buyer was denied under the GCA because of a prior felony conviction.
Congress passed it in October 1968 after the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy. Background checks were added later by the Brady Act of 1993. Federal firearms licensees record sales on ATF Form 4473, a requirement that grew out of the GCA's recordkeeping rules.
Related abbreviations
More musculoskeletal & rheumatology abbreviations
- FAI – Femoroacetabular impingement
- FM – Fibromyalgia
- FOOSH – Fall on outstretched hand
- FRAX – Fracture Risk Assessment Tool
- GH – Glenohumeral (joint)
- GTPS – Greater trochanteric pain syndrome
- HLA-B27 – Human leukocyte antigen B27
- HNP – Herniated nucleus pulposus
See all 71 musculoskeletal & rheumatology abbreviations →
More US law abbreviations
- FISA – Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act
- FLSA – Fair Labor Standards Act
- FMLA – Family and Medical Leave Act
- FOIA – Freedom of Information Act
- GENIUS Act – Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins Act
- GINA – Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act
- GLBA – Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act
- HAVA – Help America Vote Act
See all 104 US law abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.