What you need to know about an aortic aneurysm

Have you heard of the largest blood vessel in your body, the aorta? Think of it like the main water pipe system inside our body. It is the one that takes clean, oxygenated blood from the heart and distributes it to all the other organs of the body. It is shaped like a large, curved tube. This potentially dangerous condition called Aortic Aneurysm occurs in this aorta. So let's talk about it simply today.

Simply put, what is an aortic aneurysm?

Think of a water pipe in your garden. Over time, a spot on it becomes weak and bulges out like a balloon under the pressure of the water. The same thing happens to our aorta. When a spot on the wall of the aorta becomes weak for some reason, the pressure of the blood coming from the heart causes that weak spot to bulge out like a balloon. This bulge is what we call an Aortic Aneurysm.

Do you know why this is dangerous? This balloon-like swelling gradually gets bigger and can suddenly burst (rupture). If that happens, the body starts bleeding profusely. It is a very life-threatening, emergency situation.

There are two main types of aortic aneurysm:

Depending on where in the aorta this bulge occurs, we divide it into two main types. This is very easy to understand.

Of these two types, AAA in the abdomen is the most common. This may be because the wall of the artery in the abdomen is slightly thinner than the wall of the artery in the chest.

Is this condition common? Who is most at risk?

Aortic aneurysms are often silent conditions. Men are 4-6 times more likely to develop an AAA than women, especially in the abdomen. The risk increases with age.

You are also at higher risk of developing an aortic aneurysm if you have the following factors:

• Smoking: This is the main and most controllable risk factor.
• Over 65 years of age: As you age, the strength of your artery walls can decrease.
• If you are a man: This condition is more common among men.
• Family history: If a close family member (mother, father, sibling) has had this condition, you are also at higher risk.
• High blood pressure (Hypertension): High blood pressure can damage the walls of the arteries and weaken them.

Why is this happening? What are the reasons?

It is often difficult to find a specific cause for this, but it has been found that certain conditions can contribute to it.

• Atherosclerosis: Cholesterol and fat build up inside the artery walls, causing the arteries to narrow and harden. This weakens the artery walls.
• Inflammation in the arteries: Some diseases can cause the walls of the arteries to swell and become weak.
• Hereditary diseases: Genetic diseases that affect connective tissue, such as Marfan syndrome and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, can cause congenital weakness of the artery walls.
• Aortic injury: Damage to the aorta, such as from a serious accident.
• Some infections: Some bacterial infections, such as syphilis, can also rarely cause this.

What are the symptoms of this? How do we know?

This is the most dangerous part of this disease. Many people have no symptoms. They don't even know they have it until the aneurysm bursts. That's why it's called the "silent killer."

However, some people may experience symptoms as the aneurysm gradually grows. Also, if it ruptures, the symptoms are very sudden and severe. Let's look at these two separately.

What complications can this cause?

The most serious and dangerous complication is aneurysm rupture, which can lead to bleeding into the body and potentially death.

In addition, another dangerous condition can occur. It is called aortic dissection . What happens here is that a small tear occurs in the inner layer of the artery wall, and blood coming through it under high pressure leaks between the layers of the wall. This can block the blood flow inside the artery, and eventually the artery can burst completely. This is also a condition that requires emergency medical treatment.

How does a doctor find this?

Often, this condition is discovered incidentally during testing for another condition. For example, an abdominal aneurysm may be discovered incidentally during an ultrasound scan performed for abdominal pain.

If you have risk factors or the symptoms mentioned above, your doctor will order some special tests to check for this condition.

• CT scan
• CT or MRI angiography - This can clearly see how blood flows inside the arteries.
• Ultrasound (ultrasound scan)

If it is detected before it explodes... what is the treatment?

If an aneurysm is found before it ruptures, there are several ways to manage it. Treatment depends on the size of the aneurysm, its location, and how fast it is growing.

• For small aneurysms (watchful waiting): If the aneurysm is small and not growing rapidly, your doctor may decide to observe it without surgery. You will have scans at regular intervals to see if it changes in size.
• Medications: Your doctor may prescribe certain medications to reduce the pressure on the artery wall and control the rate at which the aneurysm grows.
• Blood pressure control medication.
• Medicines that lower blood cholesterol levels.

When do you need surgery?

If the aneurysm is larger than a certain size, growing rapidly, or if the doctor thinks it is about to burst, surgery may be recommended. There are two main types of surgery.

Can we prevent this from happening?

Although we cannot change some risk factors (such as age and genetics), we can significantly reduce the risk of developing this dangerous condition by changing our lifestyle.

• Quit smoking completely: If you are a smoker, quitting today is the best decision you can make.
• Eat a heart-healthy diet: eat less oil, salt, and sugar, and more vegetables, fruits, and greens.
• Exercise regularly: Do simple exercise like walking for at least 30 minutes a day.
• Maintain a healthy weight.
• If you have high blood pressure or cholesterol, follow your doctor's advice.

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