Among all known diseases of the heart and blood vessels, doctors identify a category that poses the greatest danger to human life. It includes myocardial infarction and aortic aneurysm. We will talk about the latter in more detail in the article.
Aortic aneurysm of the heart: what is it and why is it dangerous?
The aorta is one of the largest arteries in the human body, located next to the heart. Through it, blood from the main muscle flows into all other arteries. An aneurysm of the cardiac aorta is a pathology in which there is an expansion of the portion of the aorta due to the influence of many factors. Pathology can be both congenital and acquired.
The disease begins with the fact that, under the pressure of blood flow, the inner shell of the vessel is torn. Thus, the blood gets the opportunity to flow directly into the muscle layer. In this condition, the patient usually experiences painful discomfort behind the sternum, in the left arm. The skin turns pale, the pressure rises, appearnauseating urges. Saturated with blood, gradually the wall of the aorta is stretched. When an aneurysm ruptures, a person may lose consciousness. In some cases, instant death occurs from severe blood loss and shock.
Pathogenesis of disease
How does a heart aortic aneurysm develop? What kind of pathology this is can be understood if you know the anatomy of the main muscle of the human body. The myocardium has thin walls that constantly protrude during the pumping of blood from one ventricle to another. If a person has this disease, wall restriction gradually slows down. This situation makes continuous pumping of blood problematic.
In addition to damage to the walls of the aorta, hemodynamic and mechanical factors also take an active part in the formation of an aneurysm. Pathology most often occurs in functionally stressed areas, which are constantly experiencing increased stress due to the high blood flow velocity. Chronic traumatization of the aorta and excessive activity of proteolytic enzymes provoke destruction of the elastic framework and the appearance of non-specific changes of a degenerative nature in the vessel wall.
The resulting aneurysm is constantly increasing in size, as the pressure on its walls only increases. On the other hand, the blood flow in the aneurysmal sac slows down and acquires the so-called turbulent character. Only 45% of the total volume of blood in the aneurysm itself enters the distal bed. This is due to the fact that in its cavity the blood flows along the walls, the central flow is constantlyheld back by the mechanism of turbulence and the presence of large amounts of thrombotic masses.
Causes of pathology
Scientists from all over the world continue to actively study such a disease as aortic aneurysm of the heart, what it is and what factors lead to its development. Here are just a few of them:
- Atherosclerosis. The sclerotic plaques that form during this disease can invade the walls of the aorta and make them less elastic.
- Diseases of an infectious nature. Aortic aneurysm of the heart very often occurs on the background of syphilis or tuberculosis.
- Congenital diseases (Marfan syndrome, Ehlers-Danlos). Often, the history of the onset of pathology is tracked by reviewing the family history.
- Injury and mechanical damage as a result of car accidents.
- Myocardial infarction. This is the most common cause of the disease. 35% of people who have had a myocardial infarction are diagnosed with a heart aneurysm. In this case, it is perceived as its direct continuation.
The group at increased risk of aneurysm include heavy smokers, hypertensive patients, overweight people and people with high blood cholesterol levels. According to statistics, aortic aneurysm of the heart is five times more likely to be diagnosed in males than in women. As a rule, the age of patients is over 50 years old.
Classification of pathology
In vascular surgery, several classifications of aortic aneurysms are used, taking into account theirimmediate localization, wall structure, shape and etiology.
In accordance with segmental typology, there are: aneurysms of the sinus of Valsalva, ascending/descending section, aortic arch and abdominal aorta.
Assessment of the morphological state of the structure of aneurysms allows us to divide them into true and false. The wall of the latter is represented by connective tissue, which is formed due to the formation of a pulsating hematoma.
Aneurysms can be saccular or fusiform in shape.
What are the symptoms of pathology?
In most cases, the disease is asymptomatic. It is diagnosed randomly, most often during preventive examinations or when examining other organs. Complaints in patients appear if the aneurysm is characterized by rapid growth or is already on the eve of rupture.
Aneurysm of the ascending aorta of the heart and its arch is usually accompanied by a vivid clinical picture, the reason for this is a special anatomical location. Pathology can put pressure on the ribs and thoracic spine. Patients complain of cough and shortness of breath due to bronchial constriction, heart palpitations, hoarseness.
Prolonged burning pain in the back is characteristic of pathologies of the thoracic aorta of the heart. In this case, patients usually notice the appearance of a dry cough, swelling, dizziness and weakness throughout the body.
During a diagnostic examination, the doctor should pay special attention to extern althe characteristics of a person. Lengthening of the palms, tall stature, kyphosis, deformity of the sternum - all these signs may indicate Marfan's syndrome. We have already talked about it in this article.
Unfortunately, very often the first sign of pathology is aortic rupture. It is manifested by profuse bleeding in the digestive organs. The patient has vomiting with blood impurities, severe pain behind the sternum, which spreads down the spine down. Lack of timely assistance may result in death for the patient.
How to find an aneurysm?
Most often, during the next preventive examination, doctors diagnose "aneurysm of the aorta of the heart." What is it, what are the causes of the pathology and the main methods of treatment, the specialist should tell at the initial appointment. A more detailed study of the problem may require a number of additional studies, including CT, MRI, ultrasound. According to the results of the final diagnosis, the doctor receives a complete clinical picture of the disease.
When examining, it is important to take into account the fact that aneurysm in its symptoms is similar to other ailments. That is why a special role in the diagnosis is assigned to differential studies.
Detection of pathology is also possible during screening. Experts recommend that it be regularly taken by men over 60 who cannot give up addictions or have a history of this disease.
Aortic aneurysm of the heart:treatment
Both the symptoms and the therapy of the disease are directly related. After the doctor confirms the final diagnosis, you can proceed to treatment.
In the asymptomatic course of the pathology, therapy is limited to monitoring the condition by the vascular surgeon and constant X-ray control. Some patients are prescribed anticoagulants to reduce the risk of complications.
Surgical intervention is indicated for large aneurysms (more than 4 cm), as well as for its progressive growth. Such treatment is recommended for almost all patients who have had to deal with a pathology called "aortic aneurysm of the heart".
The operation involves excision of the affected area of the vessel, suturing the defect or replacing it with a vascular prosthesis.
Unfortunately, the prognosis for this disease in most cases is unfavorable. Approximately 75% of patients die from the onset of the aneurysm and within five years. Half of them die from a sudden rupture of the aorta, and the rest from concomitant pathologies (stroke, ischemia).
Aneurysm complications
- Valve disease and heart failure.
- Rupture of the aneurysm. In this case, extensive bleeding occurs in the pleural cavity, respiratory organs, heart sac or esophagus. In case of bleeding directly into the pericardial cavity, cardiac tamponade develops.
- Acute thrombosis of an aneurysm.
The above complications, if not provided with timely medical care, can be fatal for patients diagnosed with aortic aneurysm of the heart. The treatment of this disease is selected by the doctor, based on the general condition of the patient and the severity of the pathology.
Preventive measures
When it comes to the prevention of such a serious illness, all recommendations for a he althy lifestyle and the rejection of addictions must be taken into account in the first place. As already mentioned, for a long time, an aneurysm of the aorta of the heart can proceed in a latent form. Symptoms in this case do not appear, the patient is not aware of the presence of such a pathology. That is why, if a person is at risk (smokes, high blood pressure, there are cases of aortic dissection in the family history), a complete diagnostic examination should be regularly performed. For these purposes, ultrasound, aortography with the use of a contrast agent and MRI are usually used. Timely detection of an illness can save a person's life.
Conclusion
This article provides information on the topic "Aortic aneurysm of the heart: causes, symptoms and treatment." You should not be afraid of this disease, since timely diagnosis and competent treatment in the early stages allow you to forget about the problem almost forever.
