Submitted by Dr T on January 21, 2012 – 8:24pm
in
Question:
My husband has been having his aorta watched. Two years ago, his ascending aorta measured 3.8 cm. Two years later it is still 3.8 cm- has remained the same. One doc is calling it an aneurysm, another thinks it might just be normal for my husband’s size- 6’2” tall 210 pounds, no high blood pressure–this was an incidental finding. In any event, it still worries me a great deal. Which scenario is more likely? Can this measurement fall within the normal range? Does my husband need to be monitored for life and should our children be screened for this problem as well.Thank you.
Hi Lisa,
At 3.8 cm your husband’s aorta is a little large but not enough to do more than follow it regularly at this point, unless he develops chest pain symptoms.
Read more here:
https://www.cardiachealth.org/aneurysms
https://www.cardiachealth.org/thoracic-aortic-aneurysm
Hope this helps,
Dr T