What Should Patients with Aortic Aneurysm Pay Attention to and Avoid?
There are certain factors that people with aortic aneurysm should pay attention to in order to prevent fatal consequences of the disease. These factors can be listed as follows;
- Smoking: Smoking is a serious risk factor in aortic aneurysm disease as in all heart diseases. Smoking can significantly increase the rate of aneurysm formation and growth by causing an increase in blood pressure, plaque accumulation in the vessels, hardening of the vessels and weakening of the vessel walls. It is very important for patients with aortic aneurysm to quit smoking in order to prevent the progression of the disease and accelerate the treatment process.
- Healthy Nutrition: It is extremely important for people with aortic aneurysm to adopt a healthy and balanced diet and to follow a salt-poor diet in order to prevent the disease from progressing and to keep it under control. A balanced and regular diet in terms of protein, carbohydrate and fat can regulate blood pressure.
- Keeping high blood pressure under control: Hypertension (high blood pressure) is a condition in which the blood pressure in the arteries is constantly high. Hypertension, which increases the growth rate of the aneurysm and the risk of rupture, is a serious risk factor for aortic aneurysm patients. It is important that patients with hypertension are followed up regularly with tests and examinations.
- Regular Exercise and Sport: It is important for patients with aortic aneurysm to do regular exercise and sports in a controlled manner. However, it is important to perform isotonic exercises. These patients should avoid isometric exercises. Patients who make sports a part of their lives can slow the progression of the aneurysm.
- Physical Activities Requiring Excessive Effort: Aortic aneurysm patients lifting too much weight, doing sports and exercise that require excessive effort, and doing competitive sports may cause sudden increases in the patient’s blood pressure and increase the risk of aneurysm rupture and dissection. For this reason, competitive activities that require excessive effort should be avoided, and you should seek advice from a Cardiovascular Surgery Specialist for sports and exercise.
- Regular Medical Check-ups: In order to monitor the growth rate and severity of the aortic aneurysm, it is extremely important to perform regular check-ups with imaging tests. Although the first-line tests vary depending on the location of the aneurysm, it is important that the entire aortic vessel is imaged once in every individual with aortic aneurysm.
- Weight Control: As in many diseases, weight is one of the determining risk factors in aortic aneurysm disease. The risk of progression of the disease is higher in overweight people whose body mass index is higher than it should be. It is important for patients with weight problems to reduce their weight to the ideal weight with a balanced and regular diet.
- Stress and Psychological Health: The negative effects of excessive stress on the body are seen in various studies. As in many diseases, excessive stress can play a decisive role in aortic aneurysm. Stress can increase blood pressure and thus the risk of aneurysm growth increases. Therefore, stress management and psychological health also play an important role.
- Following the advice of a cardiovascular surgeon: It is extremely important to follow the treatment plan, regular check-ups and the recommendations of the cardiovascular surgeon.
It is essential for patients with aortic aneurysm to pay attention to the factors mentioned above in order to prevent the growth of the aneurysm and possible risks that may occur. You can minimise the risks that may occur by being in constant contact with the Cardiovascular Surgery Specialist during the treatment process.
