Final answer:
The most likely diagnosis is temporal arteritis or giant cell arteritis, characterized by inflammation of the blood vessels, particularly the temporal arteries.
Step-by-step explanation:
The most likely diagnosis for an 82-year-old patient complaining of headaches and jaw claudication is temporal arteritis or giant cell arteritis.
Temporal arteritis is an autoimmune condition characterized by inflammation of the blood vessels, particularly the temporal arteries. This inflammation can lead to severe headaches, jaw pain or claudication, and vision problems. It is more common in older individuals, especially those over 50 years of age.
In order to confirm the diagnosis, further testing such as blood tests to measure markers of inflammation (such as erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein) and a biopsy of the temporal artery may be done.