Advance warning from a 'silent killer'

But even silent killers sometimes issue warnings – in this case the abdominal or back pain, which results from the heart’s dilated aorta putting pressure on nerves or other arteries. Slim people  might also find a pulsating mass or tumour in the abdominal area.
If you’re unaware of these warning signs and the symptoms are left untreated, the aneurysm can gradually leak and eventually rupture, causing sudden death. The earlier the discovery, the greater the opportunity for treatment.
The heart’s aorta is the largest artery in the body, carrying oxygenated blood everywhere. Dilation (a bulge) in the aorta can occur naturally as the walls of the blood vessel weaken with age, especially over age 50.
Eating food that’s high in cholesterol leaves fatty deposits on the artery walls, gradually clogging it. Other factors include hypertension, smoking and other unhealthy behaviour.
An aneurysm can occur in any blood vessel, including those of the heart, kidney, brain and, most commonly, the abdomen.
It’s important for a doctor to first determine your risk factors. Do you suffer from hypertension or heart disease? Do you have a blocked blood vessel in the brain or kidneys?
Then the size of the aneurysm has to be assessed. If it’s less than five centimetres in diameter, and depending on your condition, the physician will bombard it with ultrasound and then monitor your health, or else schedule a CT scan every three to six months.
If the aneurysm is bigger, surgery is recommended, and there are two approaches.
Open surgery through the abdomen is a long-established technique. The dilated aorta is replaced with a synthetic prosthesis.
Endovascular surgery, a relatively new procedure, requires no abdominal incision, instead going through the blood vessel itself. This is preferred for patients with other risk factors, although the overall risk is still greater and the financial cost higher.
This latter treatment takes seven days, and if there are no complications, infections or bleeding after surgery, you can rest and recover at home.
How can you avoid an encounter with this silent killer, especially if you’re older?
Pay more attention to your health. Eat well, exercise, get adequate rest and have annual health check-ups, including ultrasound scans that can detect any abnormalities in the circulatory system. If there’s a clogged blood vessel in the heart, kidney or especially the brain, you could be at risk of a stroke.
Be disciplined in your healthcare now so that you can be happy and free from disease in retirement.
Learn more from the Surgery Centre at Samitivej Srinakarin Hospital. Call (02) 378 9000.

Dr Narong Jarasviroj MD, laparoscopic surgery and endoscopy, Samitivej Srinakarin Hospital