Oldenburg
The aorta, also known as the main artery, pumps around five liters of blood from the left ventricle into the body’s circulation when it is at rest. The aorta, which is divided into several sections, is 35 to 40 centimeters long in adults and around three centimeters in diameter in healthy people.
The main artery runs from the heart through the chest and diaphragm to the abdomen, with several branches ensuring that all organs are supplied with vital blood. At the lower end of the abdominal cavity, the aorta opens into the two large pelvic arteries, through whose conduit system the blood flows to the legs.
An aortic aneurysm is a sac-like protuberance of the main artery that, in the worst case, can cause an acutely life-threatening rupture. The tear allows blood to flow quickly and in large quantities to the affected area. The internal bleeding usually occurs in the abdominal cavity because the tissue of the arterial wall tends to bulge and the risk of rupture is particularly great.
Since the vessels lose their elasticity as a result of the aging process, the risk of aneurysms increases from the age of 65 at the latest. The state and federal statistical offices registered almost 40,000 cases of aortic aneurysm in need of treatment nationwide in 2019.
Smoking increases risk
Smokers as well as people with high blood pressure and poorly controlled diabetes must expect an increased risk of the disease. The same applies to a genetic disposition, explains Dr. Andreas Cöster, Senior Physician in the Clinic for Vascular and Endovascular Surgery at the Pius Hospital in Oldenburg: “If there have already been aneurysms in the family, you should clarify how the risk can be avoided in consultation with your family doctor or specialist can minimize. “For women and men aged 65 and over, specialist societies generally recommend a preventive ultrasound examination,
Often the vascular bulge has not yet reached a critical size at the time of diagnosis, so that treatment is initially aimed at improving blood pressure and diabetes values. In many cases, a change in lifestyle with more exercise, a consistent refrain from smoking and, if necessary, weight reduction is a decisive factor.
Heavy internal bleeding
From a diameter of 5.5 centimeters for men and five centimeters for women, preventive surgery is essential, emphasizes Dr. Cöster: “Such a large aneurysm can tear at any time. As the diameter increases, there is an exponential increase in the risk of rupture. ”The internal bleeding that sets in immediately after a tear is so severe that most of those affected bleed to death within a short time.
It is all the more important that an aneurysm is discovered in good time and treated properly. With a healthier lifestyle, with regular medical check-ups, many people can live with an aneurysm for a long time or even a lifetime without dangerous complications. Surgery can usually fix the problem, says Dr. Cöster: “The success rate is extremely high in specialized centers.” With the installation of a stent, the risk of a tear is eliminated.
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