An aortic aneurysm is a silent killer.

The aorta is the largest and most important vessel in the human body. The aorta begins in the thoracic cavity and continues into the peritoneum, having numerous branchings along its course, forming smaller vessels. At the beginning, the diameter of the aorta is about three centimeters, then the vessel narrows and becomes narrower. The aorta consists of three layers - the inner, middle and outer shell.

It is understandable that any problem with the aorta is reflected in the whole body, since the blood supply to the rest of the organs and tissues depends on the condition of the aorta. The most frequent aortic problem is an aneurysm. An aortic aneurysm is first a protrusion in the wall of the vessel, in its most vulnerable place, and then aortic dissection with a drop in blood between the membranes. The most severe consequence, which threatens an aneurysm of the aorta is the rupture of the walls and extensive bleeding, which threatens with death.

Aortic aneurysm has several causes. In twenty percent of the patients, relatives also had a similar problem, so a hereditary factor is seen here. Another reason - atherosclerosis (lesions of the aorta walls with the appearance of atherosclerotic plaques) and the pathology of connective tissue. Significant problems deliver the aorta of infectious and inflammatory diseases transferred by the body. Aortic aneurysm can arise due to congenital vascular defects, pathological changes in their structure. To significant troubles may lead to pregnancy in patients with weak blood vessels - an increasing volume of circulating blood contributes to pressure on the vessels and the appearance of protrusions.

Symptoms of aortic aneurysm are few. That's why the disease is often missed at the initial stages, noticing only much later when addressing another problem. If the aneurysm has reached a considerable size, then it can give shortness of breath or a cough, when it presses on the trachea. If the aortic aneurysm is located in the area of the esophagus, then it disrupts the swallowing process - patients feel a lump under the breastbone, in the area of the gatekeeper. If the aneurysm squeezes the upper vena cava, the face may swell, becoming puffy and poured into the neck. As a rule, a significant aneurysm of the aorta provokes an attack of angina pectoris, to which standard cardiac remedies do not work. On this basis it is already possible to judge not about heart pain, but about the problem of blood vessels.

If the aortic aneurysm is located in the abdominal area, then complaints are absent. Only occasionally do patients notice pulsation in the abdomen, sometimes pain, giving back or lower back.

As mentioned above, the rupture of the aortic aneurysm is most severe. Since the vessel has a large diameter, this threatens to cause significant bleeding. The aorta is destroyed gradually, layer by layer. The cause of aortic dissection is primarily high blood pressure. First, the inner shell of the aorta is broken, then the middle one. The latest shell can withstand the greatest pressure. In people with a violation of the two layers, mortality in the next three months reaches ninety percent. Patients with aortic rupture have burning pain at the site of the vessel rupture, blood pressure drops sharply, which indicates the release of blood outside the circulatory system. Such symptoms are often confused with a heart attack, as the clinical picture is very similar to a heart attack. Aneurysm rupture inevitably leads to death, patients die within minutes.

The aneurysm of the largest vessel - the aorta - is very insidious. With the prevailing absence of symptoms, it can kill a person in a matter of seconds. Precisely in order not to become a hostage to this disease, it is necessary to control your blood pressure from a young age, in case of violation - to be examined, to make an angiogram that can point to potentially dangerous places. One of the most important conditions for prevention is the refusal of smoking, alcohol, fatty foods, sparing emotional regime. If these conditions are met, the disease can be prevented.