topic Re: Aortic Dissection in Wellness

Aortic Dissection

SeaMaiden — Wed, 20 Feb 2019 17:36:09 GMT

Interesting info on the Today show today... something that is very serious but usually has no symptoms until the aorta tears. Having a mild heart murmer could lead to higher incident of aortic Dissection. There is a test they can do to check your Aorta if you have a mild heart murmer. I have been told by several doctors that I have a murmer, but, they never say to look into it further....

NOW I WILL.

Re: Aortic Dissection

Laura14 — Wed, 20 Feb 2019 17:41:37 GMT

Good for you @SeaMaiden . I think this is what killed John Ritter and Alan Thicke.

Re: Aortic Dissection

SeaMaiden — Wed, 20 Feb 2019 17:45:55 GMT

Signs and Symptoms

Aortic dissection symptoms are caused by a decrease of blood flowing to the rest of the body and can mimic other heart problems. Aortic dissection symptoms can include:

Sudden, severe tearing or ripping pain in the chest or upper back, which can radiate to the neck
Pain can move to the abdomen, arms and legs as the aortic dissection gets worse
Shortness of breath and trouble breathing when lying flat (orthopnea)
Swallowing difficulties from pressure on the esophagus
Difficulty speaking, loss of vision, weakness on one side of the body
Anxiety and a feeling of doom
Fainting or dizziness
Heavy sweating(clammy skin)
Nausea and vomiting
Pale skin

Diagnosis

To diagnose an aortic dissection, we ask questions about your medical history and do a physical exam. We then use advanced diagnostic procedures and technology to effectively diagnose, inform treatment and carefully monitor the condition. Diagnostic procedures can include:

Angiogram: A thin tube (catheter) is inserted into a blood vessel and dye is injected to make the blood vessel visible during an X-ray. This can show any blood clots or other blood vessel issues.

Chest X-ray: A common imaging test of the lungs, heart and aorta.

Contrast-enhanced CT scan: A thin tube (catheter) is inserted into a blood vessel and dye is injected to make the aorta visible to X-rays. Computers capture the images and produce a highly detailed view of the aorta.

Ultrasound: An ultrasound device can measure blood pressure on various points of your arm or leg, which will help the physician determine if you have any blockages and how quickly blood flows through your arteries.

Echocardiogram: This ultrasound exam uses soundwaves to take moving pictures of the heart’s chambers and valves.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): A large magnet, radio waves and a computer are used to produce pictures of the heart and blood vessels.

Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE): A thin tube sent through mouth, down the throat and into the esophagus, near the upper chambers of the heart, produces sound waves for clear pictures of the heart and blood vessels connected to the heart.

Causes

An aortic dissection occurs when the walls of the aorta are weakened. Factors that cause that weakening can include:

Blood vessel swelling due to conditions including arteritis and syphilis
Blunt trauma to the chest
Buildup of fat and plaque on the inside of the walls of the arteries
Heart surgery or heart procedures
High blood pressure
Infection in the aorta
Narrowing of the aorta

In rare instances, the aortic wall can be weakened by conditions that increase blood pressure, such as pregnancy, high-intensity weight lifting and other strenuous resistance training.

Risk Factors

Aortic dissection is rare. Risk factors that can contribute to the condition include:

Age: Most abdominal aortic aneurysms occur in people over age 65.

Aortic valve problems – People born with a bicuspid aortic valve are at higher risk for aortic aneurysm.

Gender: Men develop abdominal aortic aneurysms more often than women.

Connective tissue disease: Conditions like Marfan syndrome can contribute to aortic aneurysms.

Prevention

While some risk factors like age and heredity cannot be controlled, there are ways you can help to prevent an aortic dissection:

Practice good heart health: Watch what you eat, exercise and avoid smoking,

Take your medications as prescribed: If you have high blood pressure, high cholesterol or diabetes, be certain to take your prescribed medications as directed.

Get scanned: If you are a male between 65 and 70 and have ever smoked, your physician may recommend a simple screening test. It’s a painless and fast ultrasound that can determine if your aortic walls have weakened or if a dissection has occurred.

Prognosis

Aortic dissection is life threatening. The condition can be managed with surgery if it is done before the aorta ruptures. Less than half of the people with a ruptured aorta survive.

Treatment and Recovery

An aortic dissection is a medical emergency that requires immediate treatment. Treatment depends on the size and location of the dissection as well as your overall health. Aortic dissection treatment can include:

Medication

If the size of the aortic dissection is small, medication may be used to reduce heart rate and lower blood pressure to prevent the dissection from worsening.

Surgery

The most effective aortic dissection treatment is surgery. You may be recommended for traditional open surgery or a less invasive procedure called endovascular surgery. The type of aortic dissection surgery recommended for you depends upon the location and appearance of the aneurysm and your health.

During open aortic dissection surgery, the weakened section of the vessel will be removed and replaced with a graft of artificial material. If there is a leak in the aortic valve (the valve that regulates blood flow from the heart into the aorta), a valve replacement may also be recommended during the procedure.

During endovascular aortic dissection surgery, a stent graft is positioned inside the diseased section of the aorta. The stent acts as a liner to form a stable channel for blood flow.

Recovery After Surgery

Depending upon how your body heals, you will be in the hospital for up to 10 days after open surgery and it may be three to six months before you feel able to fully resume your normal activities. After endovascular surgery, you will be in the hospital for a few days and it may be four to six weeks before you fully recover.

Complications

If an aortic dissection is not diagnosed and treated, it could cause serious health problems. Those problems can include:

Rupture: Because the aorta is the main supplier of blood to the body, a rupture could cause life-threatening bleeding. This creates an emergency surgical situation.

Re: Aortic Dissection

Annabellethecat66 — Wed, 20 Feb 2019 17:47:03 GMT

@SeaMaiden Thanks for this info. I will certainly look into this and ask my cardiologist about this.

Normally, I don't go to my Drs and do their job. However, he and I have the kind of relationship of mutual respect. I've known him for a very long time.

We discuss everything, so I know he'll take the time to explain to me why or why not this would pertain to me.

I hope all goes well with you too @SeaMaiden

Re: Aortic Dissection

SeaMaiden — Wed, 20 Feb 2019 17:51:42 GMT

@Laura14 wrote:
Good for you @SeaMaiden . I think this is what killed John Ritter and Alan Thicke.

@Laura14 The woman on the Today show was a young lady with no heath issues... healthy... lifestyle.... it happens to women too, but men more often

Re: Aortic Dissection

Laura14 — Wed, 20 Feb 2019 17:50:26 GMT

@SeaMaiden I'm sure. I think there can be a genetic component too.

Re: Aortic Dissection

Shelbelle — Wed, 20 Feb 2019 17:50:49 GMT

John Ritter died from aortic aneurysm, so did his father Tex Rritter. Had he been checked for it it could have been taken care of it and he would most likely be alive today, after his death his bro was checked for it, they found he had it, he is fine today, it is often genetic.

Re: Aortic Dissection

SeaMaiden — Wed, 20 Feb 2019 17:52:25 GMT

@Laura14 wrote:
@SeaMaiden I'm sure. I think there can be a genetic component too.

@Laura14 yes. That plays a part too, but not in many cases

Re: Aortic Dissection

patbz — Wed, 20 Feb 2019 18:17:24 GMT

DH had a major aortic aneurysm which was discovered by a tech with a handheld sonogram. Husband had emergency surgery in his late fifties. Btw his older brother died of a massive coronary when he was 49 (they discovered that he also had an aortic aneurysm during his autopsy. DHs Dad died at 51 of a heart attack; with all his heart issues DH has had two heart attacks, stent, quad bypass, stroke and aortic aneurysm issue. Thank God for great healthcare and great insurance (if we had to pay all of it, it would be 4.5 million dollars!

Re: Aortic Dissection

Laura14 — Wed, 20 Feb 2019 18:31:06 GMT

Just FYI, aneurysm and dissection are two separate issues.

Dissection is a tearing of the aorta while an aneurysm is a bulge in the aorta that can and will eventually burst.

Aneurysms are most often due to high blood pressure. My grandfather died of that.

Both not good to have and have low survival rates if not caught before the tear or burst.

Re: Aortic Dissection

pupwhipped — Wed, 20 Feb 2019 18:49:32 GMT

My MIL had an aortic dissection and lived to tell about it.... she went through h*ll to get there, though.

Re: Aortic Dissection

Bubbles219 — Wed, 20 Feb 2019 22:45:43 GMT

@Laura14 wrote:
Good for you @SeaMaiden . I think this is what killed John Ritter and Alan Thicke.

I believe it is also what killed Lucille Ball. My Mom survived a double aortic dissection. Well, she actually flatlined on the table but they resuscitated her. My family was blessed with seven more years with her but she was never the same. Not so sure Mom considered it a blessing ...Sorry, I know it's a bit off topic ~ yesterday was her birthday and though it's been almost three and one half years since she passed, it feels like yesterday and forever at the same time. Hope that makes sense...

Re: Aortic Dissection

SilleeMee — Wed, 20 Feb 2019 23:05:15 GMT

@Laura14 wrote:
Just FYI, aneurysm and dissection are two separate issues.

Dissection is a tearing of the aorta while an aneurysm is a bulge in the aorta that can and will eventually burst.

Aneurysms are most often due to high blood pressure. My grandfather died of that.

Both not good to have and have low survival rates if not caught before the tear or burst.

Many aneurysms happen because of dissection and vice versa.

A dissecting aortic aneurysm...one of the hospital ER's worst nightmare.

Re: Aortic Dissection

hckynut — Thu, 21 Feb 2019 00:14:37 GMT

My longest time friend had his Aortic Valve replaced with pig skin when he was 80 years old. Always a fitness guy, he knew something wasn't right with his body. He was diagnosed with A-fib and was on meds to help with that. In follow up procedures, his malfunctioning Aortic Valve was found.

His recovery from this open heart surgery took the best part of 4 weeks. He was back ice skating' 6 weeks later. He now is 82 and neither his age nor this surgery has slowed him.

I suggest for those that have a genetic predisposition to talk with your doctor, and possibly a Cardiologist, about what steps should be taken. This is a very dangerous situation and should be treated as such.

hckynut

Re: Aortic Dissection

FranandZoe — Thu, 21 Feb 2019 02:54:38 GMT

John Ritter died from aortic dissection not an aneurism. His brother got checked for it and had surgery to repair it saving his life.

Re: Aortic Dissection

Ibby114 — Thu, 21 Feb 2019 18:51:28 GMT

@Laura14 wrote:
Good for you @SeaMaiden . I think this is what killed John Ritter and Alan Thicke.

@Laura14 @SeaMaiden Lucille Ball too.

Bill Paxton was in surgery to correct what could have caused his dissection, something with the valves. But he passed away from a stroke during the procedure.

Re: Aortic Dissection

SeaMaiden — Thu, 21 Feb 2019 18:56:51 GMT

This is something rarely brought to anyone's' attention, but really quite prevalent as far as people affected. Wonder why it is rarely discussed? Perhaps the insurance companies do not want to pay for testing......hush hush....

Re: Aortic Dissection

hckynut — Thu, 21 Feb 2019 19:30:15 GMT

@SeaMaiden

Like I mentioned in another thread, DVT was something most knew nothing about. This was even several TV newscasts told of what happened to some prominent people, causing their deaths.

I knew about it since 2002 with my first bout with Pulmonary Embolism. My Pulmonologist explained in detail DVT, which many times lead to deaths from PE. I actually think, contrary to the poster that talked about too many Meds being advertised on TV commercials, that many learned about DVT because of them.

How many here had heard much about Esophageal Cancer back in the 1980's? I knew about it then because my late brother-in-law had it. That is what led me to my very 1st Endoscopy, which probably saved me from the same fate.

I could list many more examples and, in my view, had/has nothing to do with the Medical Health Insurance Industry.

hckynut

Re: Aortic Dissection

Shelbelle — Thu, 21 Feb 2019 23:46:23 GMT

@FranandZoe wrote:
John Ritter died from aortic dissection not an aneurism. His brother got checked for it and had surgery to repair it saving his life.

I recently saw Ritter's bio on the Reelz Channel it was an aortic aneurysm that actually killed him, same as his father. His bro was checked and also had the anuerysm. His was repaired before it dissected. A preexisting aneurysm is mostly what caused the dissection, it can happen that way. They inherited the aneurysm condition from their father.

Re: Aortic Dissection

sfnative — Fri, 22 Feb 2019 22:27:23 GMT

@SeaMaiden

Unfortunately, the symptoms contained within the large post fail to indicate to the reader that these occur at the time of the dissection, yes, but will most likely result in a fatal outcome. Bleed-out occurs before most are able to reach an E.R. for a thoracotomy and emergent tx prior to surgery.