Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
Avatar universal

Aneurysm Part II???

Hi-  About 14 years ago(age20) I had a dissection of the ascending aorta(ruptured into the pericardial(sp) sac), they fitted me with a St Judes valve and a Dacron graft.  Everything has been fine since then -  No problems -  I even ran a half marathon 3 years ago and then a full marathon just last January.

Fast forward to this week-  I went for a run Tuesday night -  and after I came back in I noticed some mild discomfort whenever I took a deep breath.  And then last night I was having some trouble sleeping on my left side- as well as the deep breathing mild discomfort-  Nothing too terribly painful I would say a 2 to 4 out of 10 (where 10 is having your chest cracked open and your heart played around with).  So I went to the emergency room- given my history I wanted to rule out another aneurysm.  They did blood work and and EKG-  Blood came back with one level slightly elevated so that sent me in for a CT w/dye contrast.  The doctor kept saying stuff like I wish I had a comparable to correlate this with.- And now I have to go and see my cardiologist for a follow up.

What were the results you might ask-
I had an aneurysmal dilation of the Ascending Thoracic Aorta measuring apporximately 3.9 Cm in AP dimension near the level of the aortic arch just distal to the graft or postsurgical change.  When I had the surgery done 14 years ago my doctor at the time said that he had covered my aorta where all of the weak parts were- (and that if I ever needed to have more surgery on it-  I could get a freebie or a refund)-  My question to you is should I try and collect on this promise (just joking or course).  No what I'm really concerned about is having to go through a similar surgery and recovery like I did before (last time I was 20 years old and in college-  I missed half of a semester, but now that I'm an adult I have real job w/ and family responsibilities) -  Now I realize that this could be potentially life threatening-  So I guess work and family take a back seat to that-  But what are the chances that I might need more surgery in the next couple of years or so?  And should I cancel my 5K race in less than a month?  Is there a correlation between running a lot and the reoccurance of aneurysms?  Or am I just one of the lucky ones with weak aortic walls or something?  

P.S.- I don't have Marfans syndrome- My grandfather had the same surgery but he was 80 years old when he had his,  I used to joke that I just got my out of the way early(But now I'm not so sure if I'm done with the surgery)
3 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
Avatar universal
I don't mean to sound rude, but you are acting very irresponsibly.  Someone who has had a dissection and who has family responsibilities should not be running marathons.  Exercise and watching your health is one thing, but marathons are unnecessary and put a strain on your cardiovascular system.  For your sake and for your family's sake, knock it off.

That said, a 3.9cm in the distal ascending aorta certainly is a bit enlarged, but precisely HOW enlarged depends on your body size, which you haven't given us.  Regardless, someone with a history of dissection should be watched carefully. You should consult with a top-notch surgeon who can evaluate your case and tell you if you should have surgery now or later - I wouldn't rely on what someone here tells you.

Yes, you should cancel your 5k race.  You should not be competing in stressful athletic activities.  If you want to jog a 5k at your own pace, perhaps that is OK - ask your doc - but competitions should be out of the question.

I believe some studies have shown a correlation between athletic activity and aortic size.  Olympic powerlifters tend to have aortic roots in the 4.1-4.2 cm range.  Marathoners tend to have roots that are enlarged for their body size, too.

In addition to moderating your athletic activity and at least consulting with a surgeon, I'd suggest you look into ARB therapy.  Click on my screen name and view my old posts -I've discussed it ad nauseum on these boards, so no need to repeat here.  ARBs have been shown to halt and reverse aortic dilatation at the level of the root.  We are not sure if it works in the distal ascending aorta, but if nothing else, the ARBs will lower blood pressure, and that is always a good thing.  And who knows, they might help you control the dilatation.  A Japanese study, for instance, showed that one ARB (valsartan) reduced the incidence of aortic dissection by 81%.  Similar studies are coming out of Johns Hopkins and other institutions, too.

PS - You might not have Marfan syndrome, but you appear to have some sort of connective tissue problem.  
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I have a question for you since you said you'd had a dissection. A couple of months ago I had a scary experience when I bent over and felt a tearing sensation travel straight down the middle of my chest. It was as if a zipper was being undone.  I took a deep breath and the pain radiated into my back. It happened again and then everything was OK.  It hurt but not what I would consider excruciating pain.

I mentioned this to my cardio.  I've had an echo since then and there were no problems but my aneurysm only shows up on the CT, not on an echo.

Did you experience anything similar to this prior to your dissection?  I'm just wondering if I don't have some kind of a small tear in the aorta that could work into something worse.

Thanks!  



Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi,

Sorry to hear this!  Do you have a bicuspid aortic valve?  If so, they can be prone to more aneurysms.  I had an aneurysm repaired in '99 and now have another one measuring 4.5 cm.

I don't think most aneurysms of the ascending aorta need to be repaired until they reach a measurement of about 5 cm. Of course sometimes the size of the person comes into play and it may be done earlier.  

There's no way to tell how fast an aneurysm will grow - some people wait years and years before repair is necessary.  What's important is to keep your BP and heart rate down as those can make it grow faster.  I'm not a doctor so please don't take my word as gospel but I have a feeling your cardio may tell you not to run.  Mine doesn't want me on a treadmill or doing anything very strenuous. Again, I'm not a doc.

Best of luck and hope this helps.



Helpful - 0
Have an Answer?

You are reading content posted in the Heart Disease Community

Top Heart Disease Answerers
159619 tn?1707018272
Salt Lake City, UT
11548417 tn?1506080564
Netherlands
Learn About Top Answerers
Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Ask a question
Popular Resources
Is a low-fat diet really that heart healthy after all? James D. Nicolantonio, PharmD, urges us to reconsider decades-long dietary guidelines.
Can depression and anxiety cause heart disease? Get the facts in this Missouri Medicine report.
Fish oil, folic acid, vitamin C. Find out if these supplements are heart-healthy or overhyped.
Learn what happens before, during and after a heart attack occurs.
What are the pros and cons of taking fish oil for heart health? Find out in this article from Missouri Medicine.
How to lower your heart attack risk.