Aortic Disease
Conditions affecting the aorta, the main artery that carries blood from your heart to the rest of your body.
Aortic disease — including aortic aneurysm, dissection, and inflammatory aortopathy — ranges from silent incidental findings to life-threatening emergencies. The aorta serves as the body's primary vessel distributing oxygenated blood from the heart.
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Aortic diseases, such as aneurysms or dissections, are serious conditions that require expert monitoring and timely intervention to prevent life-threatening complications.
Aortic Aneurysm
A weakening of the aortic wall causes abnormal expansion. Most cases show no symptoms initially. Rupture is the primary danger, with mortality exceeding 80%. Guidelines recommend intervention when abdominal aortic aneurysms exceed 5.5 cm diameter.
Aortic Dissection
A tear in the aortic wall's inner layer allows blood to separate the vessel layers. It presents with sudden, severe tearing chest or back pain and constitutes a vascular emergency. Type A (ascending aorta) requires emergency surgery; Type B (descending aorta) is typically managed medically.
Other Aortic Conditions
- Coarctation — congenital narrowing managed through balloon angioplasty, stenting, or surgery
- Inflammatory aortopathies — including Takayasu's arteritis and giant cell arteritis
Risk Factors
- Smoking, hypertension, high cholesterol, advanced age, male sex
- Family history of aortic disease
- Connective tissue disorders: Marfan, Loeys-Dietz, Ehlers-Danlos syndromes
Diagnosis & Surveillance
- Aortic ultrasound (primary screening tool)
- CT aortography (definitive anatomical assessment)
- MRI aortography (preferred for younger patients to minimise radiation)
Treatment Options
- Endovascular repair (EVAR/TEVAR): stent graft via catheter through groin access
- Open surgical repair with prosthetic graft for complex cases
- Medical management: blood pressure control, statin therapy, smoking cessation
Concerned About Aortic Disease?
Dr. Peter Chang offers specialist assessment and personalised management at Paragon Medical Centre, Singapore.