Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm

Overview

Thoracic aortic aneurysms are often an incidental diagnosis. This is a medical term that means healthcare providers find a condition through tests they’ve ordered for other reasons. In this case, a chest X-ray may show your mediastinum (the middle part of your chest) is wider than normal. This can be a sign of an aneurysm.

If your provider suspects you have a thoracic aortic aneurysm due to chest X-ray findings or other reasons, they’ll order tests, such as:

Computed tomography (CT) angiogram.
Echocardiogram (echo).
Magnetic resonance angiogram (MRA).
Abdominal ultrasound, to look for associated abdominal aortic aneurysms.

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Symptoms

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Complications

Blood clots are a dangerous complication of atrial fibrillation (AFib). Blood clots can lead to stroke.

The risk of stroke from AFib increases as you grow older. Other health conditions also may increase the risk of a stroke due to AFib. These conditions include:

High blood pressure.
Diabetes.
Heart failure.
Some types of heart valve disease.

Blood thinners are commonly prescribed to prevent blood clots and strokes in people with atrial fibrillation.

Prevention

Healthy lifestyle choices can reduce the risk of heart disease and may prevent atrial fibrillation (AFib). Here are some basic heart-healthy tips:

Control high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.
Don't smoke or use tobacco.
Eat a diet that's low in salt and saturated fat.
Exercise at least 30 minutes a day on most days of the week unless your health care team says not to.
Get good sleep. Adults should aim for 7 to 9 hours daily.
Maintain a healthy weight.
Reduce and manage stress.

By Freedmans Health Clinic Staff

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