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Ascending aneurysm how fast do they grow?
Aortic Aneurysms | Last Active: Sep 19 10:17am | Replies (26)Comment receiving replies
I think there is probably great variability in how fast they grow. There was a very well done Kaiser study that showed patients, who were well managed by competent specialists, were far less likely to have their aneurysms grow and to require surgery.
My husband's aneurysm has been stable at 4.8 cm since January 2021 when Mayo discovered it. He has to "behave" himself, which is terribly difficult for him but he does it. This means no lifting anything over 30 lbs and not lifting stuff over his head. Also, he has to keep his BP below 130/80. Despite stellar health habits and exceptionally optimal lipids for the last 30 years, he still has some blockage. This is because he has an elevated Lipoprotein (a). This deposits plaque on artery walls,. Most doctors do not test for this but Mayo does. (It is not covered by insurance but probably will be; there is no drug to treat it but knowing you have this means you should keep your LDL below 55. Very important!)
Replies to "I think there is probably great variability in how fast they grow. There was a very..."
Two of my husband's cousins (one maternal and the other paternal) have had mid level ascending aortic aneurysms. One dissected; he arrested several times; was resuscitated; was finally surgically repaired by an experienced fantastic surgeon. He had no idea before his dissection that he had an aneurysm; was very health conscious; walked daily; went to the gym daily and lifted weights. He was 78 years old. He now has an abdominal aneurysm (5.5 cm) and is resigned to die if this bursts - breaking his wife's heart.
The other cousin was in his late sixties and had prophylactic surgical repair of a midlevel ascending aortic aneurysm because he also had a faulty valve. This cousin is similarly very health conscious and owns several gyms. He lifted weights too on a regular basis.
Since my husband's Mayo cardiologist described the stress that lifting weights above your head puts on your heart and the ascending aortic, we are wondering since these two cousins shared this "hobby" that maybe lifting weights, particularly overhead, could be a major cause of dissection or rupture.
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Here is the link to the Kaiser study.
https://divisionofresearch.kaiserpermanente.org/taa-study-supports-guidelines/
I think it is very reassuring. Kaiser is a physician managed organization. Most sites are well managed. They are at financial risk for patients' medical costs and so they have a financial as well as a professional incentive to help patients manage their conditions. Kaiser tends to devote internal resources to help patients do just that; this is, unfortunately, unusual in today's crazy health care world.