Are You at Risk for a Fatal Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm?

Health Wellness

At my last diabetes checkup with my doctor, she ordered an ultrasound scan of my abdominal aorta. She said it was necessary due to my age and high blood pressure.

Last Saturday, I went to our local hospital, where the ultrasound tech squirted that jell all over my abdomen, from the bottom of my diaphragm to below my navel. Then she turned on the machine and took a number of ultrasound images of my abdominal aorta. Since I am still overweight, I asked the tech if it was a boy or a girl. She looked at me, smiled and said triplets and laughed.

I just got the results of my scan back and was glad to hear that everything appears normal.

So, I decided to do a little research on abdominal aortic aneurysm.

First all, let me explain what the abdominal aorta is. The main artery leaving the heart is the aorta. It goes a short distance and then loops and goes down until it begins to branch off into smaller arteries. From the heart to the diaphragm, it’s known as the thoracic aorta. Once it passed through the diaphragm, it is referred to as the abdominal aorta. Around the area of the fourth lumbar vertebra, the abdominal aorta is slightly to the left of center and this is where it divides into the two common iliac arteries, which supply blood to lower abdomen and legs.

An aneurysm is a swelling of the aorta. When the swelling or ballooning of the aorta occurs below the diaphragm, it’s referred to as an abdominal aortic aneurysm.

If the ballooning gets too big, it can rupture and since this is a major carrier of blood for the lower half of the body, a person can bleed to death internally in a matter of minutes, depending upon the severity of the rupture.

So, what are the risk factors for having an abdominal aortic aneurysm?

  • Age – the older, the greater the risk.
  • Smoking – the longer you smoke(d) or chewed tobacco, the greater the risk.
  • High blood pressure – the higher the blood pressure or longer it goes un-controlled, the greater the risk.
  • Atherosclerosis – hardening of the arteries.
  • Genetics – family history of abdominal aortic aneurysms increases the risk.
  • Ethnicity – white people have a greater risk.
  • Gender – occurs far more often in men than in women.

Well, I’m a white male, 66 years of age with high blood pressure, which is why my doctor ordered the scan.

In addition to the risk factors listed above, aortic aneurysms can result from an infection or a trauma to the area.

The symptoms of an aortic aneurysm include:

  • Sudden, intense and persistent abdominal or back pain that feels like something is tearing.
  • Sweatiness
  • Clamminess
  • Dizziness
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Low blood pressure
  • Fast pulse.

Any of these symptoms is cause to seek immediate emergency help. If you are in any of the higher risk groups and are over 65, ask your doctor if you should have a scan. It’s non-invasive and doesn’t hurt, but a scan could well save your life.

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