All articles tagged with #aortic aneurysm
Medical professionals share stories of patients who accurately diagnosed their own serious conditions, such as a woman who sensed her impending death and was later found to have a ruptured aortic aneurysm, highlighting the importance of patient intuition and the challenges in emergency diagnosis.
An emergency doctor in California shares a simple thumb test that can help identify the risk of aortic aneurysm, a potentially fatal heart condition, by assessing the stretchiness of connective tissues, which may indicate underlying vascular issues. The test involves stretching the thumb across the palm to see if it extends past the hand, with a positive result suggesting the need for medical evaluation, especially for those with connective tissue disorders like Marfan syndrome or Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.
Researchers at Northwestern University have developed a physics-based metric called the "flutter instability parameter" (FIP) that can predict the likelihood of future aortic aneurysm with 98% accuracy. By measuring subtle "fluttering" in a patient's blood vessel using 4D flow magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the researchers found that unstable flutter is highly predictive of abnormal growth and potential rupture. This metric could help physicians intervene and prescribe medications to high-risk patients to prevent dangerous swelling of the aorta. The research offers a new understanding of the physics underlying aortic aneurysms and could be transformative in predicting cardiac pathologies.
Aortic aneurysms, a potentially life-threatening condition, often go unnoticed until they rupture, resulting in a high mortality rate. However, early detection is crucial for successful treatment. Warning signs of an aortic aneurysm include chest pain, cough, shortness of breath, back/jaw/neck pain, feeling full after small meals, or trouble swallowing. Certain factors increase the risk, such as being male, over 65, a smoker, having high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, or a family history. Aortic screenings, including ultrasounds, can help detect aneurysms, and some insurance plans offer free or low-cost screenings for at-risk individuals.