enlarged aorta vs aneurysm?

At 4.3 your aneurysm is on the small side but not to be ignored. The CT scan will provide a more accurate measurement.

You should be followed up, a cardiologist that specializes in aortic diseases would be ideal as your attending cardiologist, not all of them do and it makes a big difference. He/she will establish a follow up protocol to determine the rate of growth , monitor your BP, and give you recommendations. Zero follow up is not the answer, once the rate of growth is known the frequency can be determined.

You know you have it and can do something about it, not everyone has that opportunity. Stay active and continue treating your body well it will pay dividends if and when you ever need surgery. Just be mindful and avoid any exercise that leads you to hold your breath and/or grunt while exerting, (lifting heavy weights for example) it is known BP rises significantly during those moments, high BP is the main thing to watch for.

Search in this forum for “exercise” you will find a lot of discussions and recommendations as well as videos from a cardiologist talking about exercises and aneurysms.

I had a 5.2 cm ascending aneurysm, found after an MTB accident. Like you I was very active and was in good shape, I found the best surgeon in Houston, and he recommended I had it fixed as it was considered large for my body size, and being in good health minimized any risk from surgery. Surgery was as easy as it could have been, fast recovery.

At some point if your aneurysm grows your cardiologist will refer you to a surgeon, but nothing prevents you from consulting with one at this stage. Find the best available to you, someone who’s has done lots of these surgeries (it is open heart unfortunately)

Wish you the best, you came to the right place!!

Fully endorse houston13's remarks. I am 77 yrs old, generally fit and healthy. My aneurysm is 4.6 cm, the consultant surgeon was not at all dismissive, explained fully the risks associated with both rupture and surgery. Annual checkups recommended (which I m doing, no change so far). All the best.

Hi there,

I am a little closer to discovery than some on this board so I may be able to provide some newbie insights.

2 months ago I was also diagnosed with a 4.3. My cardiologist was same as yours, said it’s only significant enough to mention and monitor. If I didn’t have the MyChart app I may have brushed off the lack of concern. But I googled and CHATGPT’d - probably too much. I wish I just had found this place right away and stopped ruminating.

Like you, I was scheduled for a CTA with contrast. My 4.3 Ascending Aorta measured 3.4 on the CTA. My 4.3 Aortic Root measured 4.1 on the CTA. I am a tall person (6’4”) so both measures as “normal” on the CTA report out, which is a bit confusing but good news I’ll take.

Like you, I am a workout fanatic. I did CrossFit for years followed by traditional weightlifting, tennis, hiking etc. I have taken a step back from weight training and am focusing on mild cardio. There are many who continue weight training or other exercise, with caution.

Your individual experience will ultimately vary from mine. But my initial guidance is to avoid googling and ChatGPT’ing too much. Find a community of people who have been through it and have knowledge. This is a great one. Ask questions and advocate for yourself.

You are welcome to message me privately if I can be of any additional support.