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What are the symptoms of abdominal aortic aneurysms?

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About three of every four abdominal aortic aneurysms are asymptomatic and may be found upon routine physical examination by the discovery of a pulsating mass in the abdomen. An aneurysm may also be discovered by x-ray, computed tomography scan (CT scan), or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) that is being done for other conditions. Since abdominal aneurysm may be present without symptoms, it is referred to as the “silent killer” because it may rupture before being diagnosed.
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What are the results of treatment for ABDOMINAL AORTIC ANEURYSMS?

Aneurysm Outreach a non profit organization
While the chances of surviving a ruptured aneurysm are poor, elective aneurysm surgery survival rates are quite good when the surgery occurs in centers where the operation is performed routinely.
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What causes AORTIC ANEURYSMS?

Aneurysm Outreach a non profit organization
The exact cause of aortic aneurysms has been difficult to identify with certainty. Although it is thought that family history (Of all patients with aortic aneurysms, approximately 20% are eventually found to have a family member that was, or is, also affected.), smoking, hypertension, and high blood cholesterol are probably the most important risk factors. It is not yet clear how these factors interact to cause the development of aneurysms.
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How are AORTIC ANEURYSMS detected?

Aneurysm Outreach a non profit organization
Patients sometimes detect an aneurysm by feeling a pulsating mass in the abdomen, or it may be found by their physician during a routine physical examination. The best way to detect unsuspected aortic aneurysms is by an ultrasound or CAT scan of the abdomen. . Ultrasound is quick, relatively inexpensive, non-invasive, and accurate ; if the aorta can be seen, the presence of an aneurysm can be identified or excluded.
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How are AORTIC ANEURYSMS treated?

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Once an aneurysm is detected, a decision must be made as to the best treatment for each individual patient. This decision is primarily based on the size (diameter) of the aneurysm as a reflection of its risk for rupture. On average, most aneurysms increase in size by 0.5-cm diameter each year. For patients with small aneurysms, observation and careful follow-up is recommended. It is equally important to stop smoking and maintain good blood pressure control.
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What are the symptoms of aneurysms?

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The majority of brain aneurysms have no symptoms. When aneurysms become symptomatic is usually due to one of two reasons: rupture or mass effect. Aneurysmal rupture results in bleeding into the brain. Symptoms associated with aneurysmal bleeding range in character and severity. The most common symptom is a headache, which is sudden in onset and often describe as "the worst headache of my life".
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Who is at risk for an Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm?

Individuals with the following characteristics are at risk for developing Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms:
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What is an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA)?

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aortic aneurysm is a bulging or "ballooning" that forms in a weakened area of the aorta, the large artery that exits from the heart and carries blood to the rest of the body and to the other major arteries. An abdominal aortic aneurysm occurs in the part of the aorta in the abdomen, usually below the kidneys. Abdominal aortic aneurysms can sometimes leak or rupture, resulting in serious bleeding and possibly death.
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What is an abdominal aortic aneurysm?

Health Information
abdominal aortic aneurysm, also called AAA or triple A, is a bulging, weakened area in the wall of the aorta (the largest artery in the body) resulting in an abnormal widening or ballooning greater than 50 percent of the normal diameter (width).
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Can Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm be prevented?

Unique Imaging Solutions | Stroke Information
No. Unfortunately abdominal aneurysms are also highly hereditary and should be detected before they can rupture.
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What are Aneurysms?

The aorta which is the main artery carrying blood from the heart to every part of the body can develop a focal weakness of its wall due to atherosclerosis. This results in the formation of a dilated segment, or aneurysm, which if left untreated, will continue to enlarge until it ruptures resulting often in the death of the patient. Other arteries, usually in the legs, can also become aneurysmal. However, leg aneurysms rarely rupture.
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What causes an abdominal aortic aneurysm to form?

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abdominal aortic aneurysm may be caused by multiple factors that result in the breaking down of the well-organized structural components (proteins) of the aortic wall that provide support and stabilize the wall. The exact cause is not fully known.
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Is is possible to have aortic stenosis or aortic insufficiency and not have symptoms?

Aortic Valve Surgery Frequently Asked Questions
Often times, the symptoms can be subtle. You should take the advice of your cardiologist and see a surgeon if that his his/her recommendation.
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What are the symptoms of a thoracic aortic aneurysm?

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Thoracic aortic aneurysms may be asymptomatic (without symptoms) or symptomatic (with symptoms). Symptoms of a thoracic aneurysm may be related to the location, size, and growth rate of the aneurysm. Severe onset of pain associated with a thoracic aneurysm may be a sign of a life-threatening medical emergency.
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What are the symptoms of aortic dissection?

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The most commonly reported symptom of an acute aortic dissection is severe, constant chest and/or upper back pain, sometimes described as "ripping" or "tearing." The pain may be "migratory," moving from one place to another, according to the direction and extent of the dissection.
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Aortic Aneurysm, Marfan Syndrome- Thoracic Aortic Center FAQ
Almost all patients with an acute aortic dissection experience pain. The pain is typically severe, and located in the chest, neck, or back, and sometimes in the abdomen or legs depending on the location of the aortic dissection. In fact, the pain may migrate as the dissection propagates. The pain is often of sudden onset and at its most severe at the start. It is often described as "sharp," "stabbing," or "tearing.
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The most commonly reported symptom of an acute aortic dissection is severe, constant pain, sometimes described as “ripping” or “tearing,” and located in the chest, the middle of the abdomen, the lower back, or the pelvis area. The pain may be “migratory,” moving from one place to another, according to the direction and extent of the dissection. The symptoms of aortic dissection may resemble other medical conditions or problems.
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Why don’t you just operate to fix all thoracic aortic aneurysms, regardless of the size?

Aortic Aneurysm, Marfan Syndrome- Thoracic Aortic Center FAQ
The surgery to repair aortic aneurysms carries a small but real risk. (This risk varies based on the patient’s age, the patient’s overall health condition, the location and extent of the aneurysm, and the volume of aortic procedures performed by the surgeon and at the center where the surgery is performed). When aneurysms are relatively small, the risk of an aortic tear or rupture is small (e.g., less than 1-2%), so the risk of surgery outweighs the risk of going without surgery.
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What is an aortic dissection?

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aortic dissection results when a split occurs in the wall of the aorta, the main artery that carries blood from the heart to the rest of the body. A dissection allows blood to flow between the inner and outer layers of the aortic vessel, potentially blocking blood flow to vital organs such as the brain. A dissection also places the aortic wall at increased risk for rupture, creating an acute, life-threatening condition that can only be treated by immediate surgery.
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How does aortic valve stenosis cause symptoms?

Aortic Valve Stenosis, SVCMC; New York NY
Certain medical problems or conditions make it more likely that you will develop aortic valve stenosis: Calcium buildup. Aging can cause calcium buildup around the aortic valve, which can make the normally thin and flexible valve flaps thick and stiff. This is also called calcific aortic valve stenosis. It is unclear why some people develop calcium buildup while others don't. This calcium buildup may be related to the same process that causes atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries.
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What is a side abdominal?

LowerAbdomenExercises.com - Faq
A side abdominal is the part of your abs that are located on both sides of your stomach muscles. Each human body had an upper abdominal, lower abdominal, and side abdominals.
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What causes aneurysms and why do they rupture?

Aneurysm Outreach a non profit organization
Aneurysms form in an area of the blood vessel wall that is already weakened or has a defect. The exact cause of the formation of aneurysms is not well understood. Hypertension is thought to contribute to rupture. In addition, cigarette smoking has been associated with aneurysm formation and rupture. Aneurysms can run in families. There are no other clear causative factors that instigate rupture.
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How are aneurysms repaired?

The Standard open repair requires a large operation, a 4 to 5 day hospital stay, and a recovery of 6 to 8 weeks. The operative mortality is 1 to 4% depending on the risk profile. The long term expectations are extremely good based on fifty years of experience The new Endovascular Stent Graft repair is a minimally invasive procedure requirng a 1 to 2 day hospital stay and a recovery of 2 to 3 weeks. The procedure carries a mortality of 1% and may be applied to elderly and high risk individuals.
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What is an AORTIC ANEURYSM?

Aneurysm Outreach a non profit organization
The aorta is the largest artery in the body. It starts at the heart and passes through the chest to the abdomen. Aortic aneurysms can develop anywhere along the aorta. Once an aneurysm has started to develop, it slowly expands in diameter over a period of several years. As an aneurysm grows larger, the wall of the artery thins. When the strength of the aneurysm wall becomes too weak the wall can break, resulting in a ruptured aneurysm.
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Is there any extra pressure on the aortic valve?

Sunshine Heart - Product Profile - FAQ
The pressure on the aortic valve is expected to be lower when the C-Pulse deflates just prior to the heart ejecting blood, and higher when the aortic valve is closed and the C-Pulse inflates as the heart is re-filling. Overall, the average aortic pressure does not vary significantly from normal blood pressure.
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Can microscopic colitis be associated with symptoms other than diarrhea or abdominal pain?

Finer Health and Nutrition : Educational Information : Frequ...
Because microscopic colitis is a chronic inflammatory syndrome associated with production by the immune system of chemical mediators that circulate in the blood, patients with microscopic colitis often experience fatigue, joint pains, muscle aches and fibromyalgia, and even fever is possible. Because the genes involved also predispose to other autoimmune syndromes, such diseases (like arthritis, thyroid disease, etc.) do occur in patients with microscopic colitis.
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MY CHILD HAS ABDOMINAL PAIN. WHAT SHOULD I DO?

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The pain may start suddenly in a crampy fashion causing the child to double over. This leads many parents to seek emergency room care. This kind of pain is usually caused by a cramping of the muscle encircling the intestine and subsides within 30 minutes. Pain that is severe and persistent over one hour does merit more immediate evaluation. Other less severe pain that persists over 12 hours should be seen in the office (or ER on weekends).
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How are aneurysms diagnosed?

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In addition to a complete medical history and physical examination, diagnostic procedures for an aneurysm may include any, or a combination, of the following: computed tomography scan (Also called a CT or CAT scan.) - a diagnostic imaging procedure that uses a combination of x-rays and computer technology to produce cross-sectional images (often called slices), both horizontally and vertically, of the body.
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What are the symptoms?

Urinary Incontinence in Women
If you have stress incontinence, you may leak a small to medium amount of urine when you cough, sneeze, laugh, exercise, or do similar things. If you have urge incontinence, you may feel a sudden urge to urinate and the need to urinate often. With this type of bladder control problem, you may leak a larger amount of urine that can soak your clothes or run down your legs.
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QTsyndrome.ch - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
The usual symptoms are syncope (sudden loss of consciousness) or sudden death, typically occurring during physical activity or emotional upset. These most commonly begin in preteen to teenage years, but may present from a few days of age to middle age. The syncopal episodes are often misdiagnosed as the common faint (vasovagal event) or a seizure. Actual seizures are uncommon in long QT syndrome, but epilepsy is one of the common errors in diagnosis.
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