I was diagnosed very recently that my aorta was enlaged

Posted by concern @concern, May 14 10:22am

Just by chance l had CT scan done for another issue. But when the results came back it showed l had a borderline descended aorta size 4.5 cc. Not sure what that means. I'm scheduled to see a cardiologist. I'm 63 never really had any serious heart trouble. But I'm concerned about this. Can someone please explain this to me.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Aortic Aneurysms Support Group.

concern | @concern | May 21 2:45pm

Thank you for the encouraging words. I truly appreciate your heartfelt words. It's nice to be able to talk and not be judged.
Thank you 🙏

houston13 | @houston13 | May 21 4:06pm

In reply to @concern "I know l have asked this question in different ways but l just really need some..." + (show)

@concern

I know l have asked this question in different ways but l just really need some help. Some of you are very knowledgeable about my issue. Please help me understand this so l can possibly get some peace of mind. Here we go so how can you have an echo done July 2024 and it showed my ascending aorta was slightly enlarged 4.0 cm. The cardiologist explained it but said I had absolutely nothing to be concerned about. His statement was will just keep an eye on. No CT scan order no other tests. He said l didn't need to change anything. So I use to go to the gym 3-4 times a week. Also did cardio some. Never had a problem. January of 2025 l had COVID for the second time. I didn't have serious symptoms but since having COVID l have never regain my energy. Went to my GP in February 14, 2025. He ran numerous blood tests all normal. He had answer for my extreme fatigue. He stated if l didn't get to feeling better go to the ER, which is exactly what I did that same day. That is where l had a CT scan and it showed l had a borderline dialating ascending aorta 4.5 cm. The ER doctor never mentioned that to me. I was told all my tests were okay couldn't find any heart issues sent home. This was never followed up on because the information was never sent to my cardiologist's office. I never heard anything from the cardiologist so l figured everything was okay. But l being to research this and discovered it wasn't normal to have this. Naturally l begin to worry about it. I knew l needed another cardiologist. So on Monday 19, 2025. I met with a new cardiologist gave him all my previous tests results. He did an echo, which l was told
showed my aorta was 4.0 cm. He has me scheduled for a CT scan but not until June 17th, 2025. Can someone please give me their opinion on how my aorta would show 4.0 in July 2024. Show 4.5 in February 2025 from the CT scan. Then on Monday, May 19th, 2025. The echo showed 4.0. I don't know what to do l'm afraid because I don't know what my actual number may be. In the meantime l haven't done any type of physical activity. I feel like I'm going crazy not knowing. Can anyone give some opinions. I would greatly appreciate it

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It is unfotunate you haven't found the right specialist to properly help you, you have the right to be well taken care of and get your questions and concerns answered.

Your new cardiologist may be better so you may want to give him/her an opportunity, if not my recommendation is that you travel to the closest major medical center to get properly checked (you mentioned they don't exist near you). Do your research find a surgeon who has done lots of these surgeries. Check their bios, normally those will describe their experience and research interests. Same if you need a new cardiologist, it does make a big difference to find one who truly understands aneurysms and provides you with the right guidance and periodical controls. I attached a screenshot of what appears in my Cardiologist bio and an excerpt from my surgeon's bio as examples.

Now, I am not a Dr but can tell you my opinion from what I have learened and understand. At less than 4.5 cm (let's call it that until you get a more accurate measurement) you are far from the critical size, (but you absolutely should get monitored), normal regular exercise should be fine and actually highly recommended so that you keep yourself in good shape. The main thing to keep under control is your BP, high BP is the main enemy of aneurysms, think of a balloon the more you inflate the thiner and more vulnerable the wall gets. The consensus is to avoid any exercise that would lead you to hold your breath and grunt while exerting, that is why they tell people to limit the amount of weight they lift, not because of the movement or weight but because the more weight, the more you exert and the more likely you will hold your breath to maintain spine stability. It is proven that while you exert holding your breath, your BP rises significantly albeit for short periods of time, those peaks although short a very detrimental because they are also very high. (I have posted two videos that talk about the subject of exercise and aneurysms, you may want to look for them under my handle in this forum, if you don't find them I will be glad to look for them and send them to you)

As far as I understand, at less than 4.5cm the probability of disection or rupture are close to zero and that is why the monitoring is usually annual (I have heard 6 months in some cases but yearly is more common unless the growth is significant)

I hope you find the right professional support and find a way to help you with anxiety (consider a good therapist also)

jtr3b | @jtr3b | May 21 5:42pm

In reply to @moonboy "Your aorta is a thick, three-layered tube that carries all the blood pumped out of your..." + (show)

@moonboy

Your aorta is a thick, three-layered tube that carries all the blood pumped out of your heart to the rest of your body. An aortic dissection happens when one of those layers—usually the inner layer—tears away from the middle layer, creating a space where blood starts to flow in the wrong place, called a "false lumen." It’s kind of like when the tread starts to peel off a tire but hasn’t completely blown out yet. That separation can be dangerous because it weakens the structure of the aorta and puts you at risk for a full rupture if not treated. It is a life threatening emergency if it happens. But since you know you have an issue, you're not going to let that happen because you're monitoring it and you will deal with it by listening to your thoracic surgeon.

You mentioned that your aorta measured 4.5 “cc” — I’m guessing you meant cm, which is the standard way to measure the diameter of the aorta. A normal descending thoracic aorta is usually around 2.5 to 3.5 cm, so 4.5 cm is definitely enlarged, but it’s not panic territory. Think of it like a garden hose that’s a little over-pressurized but hasn’t burst — it needs watching, but it’s not a 911 call. A finding like this is often totally silent — no symptoms — and it's great that it was caught early. Many of us don’t find out until it's an emergency. You’re ahead of the game.

Now, the “borderline” part means you're near the range where doctors will start tracking it more closely. Most cardiologists or aortic specialists will want to repeat imaging every 6 to 12 months to see if it's stable or growing. Growth rate matters a lot more than just the number. If it’s been the same size for years, that’s a different conversation than if it jumps from 4.5 to 4.9 cm in a year.

You said you're 63 and haven’t had heart issues — that’s good, and it's also why it's so important to check in with a cardiologist now. Ask them if you can see someone who specializes in aortic disease specifically. General cardiologists are great, but this is a niche area, and trust me — the right specialist makes all the difference.

In the meantime, a few tips:

1. Avoid heavy lifting and straining — anything that causes a Valsalva maneuver (like holding your breath and pushing hard) spikes your blood pressure and stresses the aortic wall.

2. Monitor your blood pressure carefully. Lower and stable is the goal.

3. Ask your doctor if genetic testing or screening might be helpful — some aortic issues run in families, even if you’ve never had symptoms. I have all of my kids tested after I had a dissection.

I was 50 when my aorta dissected, and it changed my life in every way. But knowing about this before something happens? That’s power. It gives you the chance to act, track, and protect yourself. You’re not alone in this — a lot of us are walking around with “borderline” aortas. With good imaging, careful monitoring, and lifestyle adjustments, many people live long, full lives without ever needing surgery. Peace.

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Thank you for that information. I'm 63 and recently found out that I have a 4.3 cm ascending aortic aneurysm. It has shaken me. Mostly because I'm experiencing some pain in my back and left shoulder. With 4.3 cm I wouldn't be so trouble but the pain scares me. As you suggest, I need to find a cardiologist, a specialist with the aorta. I wish I knew where to find one. I'm in Naples Florida.

concern | @concern | May 21 5:48pm

houston13, l want to say thank you for all the excellence information you have given me. l hope that this particular cardiologist l started seeing will at least give me some answers. The hardest part for me is the unessasary uncertainty and waiting to hopefully get the correct treatment. I say this in all honesty you have answered more of my questions than the the doctors. Hopefully everything will be okay until I can have the CT on June 17. At least then hopefully l will know exactly where I stand. Maybe my number is 4.5 or maybe it's higher . God willing once I find out the correct information then l can proceed from there. The closest place to me that has some excellent surgeons is The University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital. One of my friends had a heart transplant done there and he is doing well. But hopefully surgery is still a ways off. But once again l really want to say thank you for trying to help me. I'm glad l found this forum and to know there are still caring and compassionate people in the world. Makes you still have faith in the mankind. I know that ultimately it's in God's hands but l'm human and l still get worried and anxious and overthink about the worst scenarios.
Take care and God Bless

pamela78 | @pamela78 | May 22 7:20am

In reply to @concern "You're blessed to live in an area with such high quality medical care . Unfortunately l..." + (show)

Thank you for highlighting this weakness in the American healthcare system. We could do better and we should. IMHO I know solutions are difficult to find, but surely innovative methods could be explored. How about specialists who travel to under-served areas like those doctors who travel to South America or wherever for a few weeks or months to perform surgeries? How about subsidies for patients to travel to the best medical centers for complex surgeries or treatment? With the advent of AI, surely we'll begin to see advances that can be achieved locally.

pittsburghdad | @pittsburghdad | May 22 8:26am

In reply to @concern "I know l have asked this question in different ways but l just really need some..." + (show)

@concern

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As far as diagnostic tools, it is my understanding that a gated CT scan (to eliminate inaccuracies due the movement of your heart) with contrast is the gold standard and is going to give you the most accurate reading. Echos and a non-gated CT scan are going to have some level of inaccuracy. In my own case, the difference between a non-gated CT scan and a CT scan was 0.2 cm. So, wait for the June 2025 scan and make sure it is a gated one with contrast, which should be accurate. As others have said, at either of the sizes you mentioned your risk of an incident is very low (below 1% over the next 5 years) until it gets above 5.0. Most doctors recommend light to moderate exercise even with an aneurysm as long as you avoid lifting heavy weights.

concern | @concern | May 22 11:53am

First, I would like to say thank you to everyone who has responded to my posts. I'm not a big social media person. But this forum has some truly amazing people who share their knowledge and experiences. Plus no one makes you feel dumb for asking a lot of questions. I am trying to put into words how l feel at at this moment so please excuse me. I'm very emotional right now. Make a long story short l got into see a new cardiologist on Monday 19th. That was unusual because l had just called the day before and normally you can't get in to see someone that soon. When I met with the cardiologist l wasn't sure what to expect because of past experiences. But after pleading with him he agreed to do an echo. Then stated he wanted to do a CT but didn't seem to concerned so it was scheduled for June 17th. Not guite a month away. But way longer than I wanted because the uncertainty was about to put me over the edge. To get to my point. I do not believe in coencesadences. No matter what your beliefs are l'm just sharing my faith. God is so faithful my appointment was moved to tomorrow Friday 23rd. That doesn't just happen by accident. The Lord knew what l have been going through.
So am saying it's hard to keep your faith strong when you're going through something l but God is always with you even if you don't feel it. I give him all the praise and glory. He is real and l believe no matter what. Thanks for listening. Hopefully I'll get some difitive answers tomorrow.
Take care everyone

concern | @concern | May 23 2:17pm

In reply to @concern "First, I would like to say thank you to everyone who has responded to my posts...." + (show)

I have a general question. Today, May 23rd at 10 am l had my Coronary CT Angiogram, with nitroglycerin and contrast. I truly hope this will give me definitive answers. Today being Friday and Monday being a holiday I'm sure it will be sometime next week before I get my results. I'm hoping for good news but just but knowing exactly where l stand would help my mental health. Anyway, just for my piece of mind. During a CT if the technician(s) see something bad would l have been have notified then. Is it a good sign that after the test the nurse told me to have a nice day and walked out. Just curious.

rlhix | @rlhix | May 24 8:17am

In reply to @concern "I have a general question. Today, May 23rd at 10 am l had my Coronary CT..." + (show)

It depends on where you are having it done. When I have CT scans or Echocardiograms etc at Mayo Clinic Jacksonville, I know within 2 hours from the doctors that read the results. If it is here in Tallahassee (180 miles away) where I live, I am lucky if I get the report 3 weeks or a month later. That's why since May 2024, I don't do them here. The technician isn't supposed to talk to you about it.

msturcken | @msturcken | May 24 10:12am

In reply to @concern "My cardiologist appointment is Friday 16th. I wish l could say I'm not worried but I'd..." + (show)

I think if it grows .5cm in a year they consider surgery before the usual 5.5 .

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