Hello! I am Liu Jian
Today is the 600th issue that Jian Ge said to accompany you
Seeing the word "tumor" in the aortic aneurysm, many people think it is a tumor disease. In fact, the aortic aneurysm is not a tumor, it refers to the local aortic lumen dilation, resembling a tumor, so that the vascular diameter of the site is more than 50% larger than the normal inner diameter. This dilation is not recoverable, and the larger the local vascular diameter, the higher the risk of aortic dissection or aortic aneurysm rupture, both of which are fatal, with mortality rates as high as 48% to 56% [1]. It can be seen that this disease is very dangerous and needs everyone's attention.
Aortic aneurysms are locally dilated thoracic or abdominal aorta, resembling tumors
17,000 people die from the disease every year on the mainland
You may think that the disease of aortic aneurysms is not common, but recently, a report published by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention and Xiangya Hospital scholars on the burden of aortic aneurysms in mainland China from 1990 to 2019 pointed out that in 2019, 17,000 people died from aortic aneurysms in the mainland, which is 2.36 times that of 1990, accounting for nearly 1/10 of the global deaths due to aortic aneurysms in 2019[1]!
The report further points out that from the perspective of sex, the mortality rate of male aortic aneurysm patients is almost 3 times that of women; from the perspective of age, both men and women, the mortality rate of aortic aneurysm increases with age, and the highest number of years of life loss (the number of deaths in this age group multiplied by the number of years of life expected remaining) is 60 to 80 years old; from a geographical point of view, age-standardized mortality rate is higher in the central and western and some central provinces, and lower in the eastern coastal provinces, including Xinjiang, Qinghai, Tibet, Yunnan and Hunan not only have higher age-scaled mortality rates for aortic aneurysms, but also have higher growth rates.
Age-scaled mortality rate of aortic aneurysms in 2019 by provincial administrative region
Prevention, screening and treatment of aortic aneurysms
The report also analysed the attribution risk factors that lead to death in patients with aortic aneurysms and found that the factors most influential in death were high systolic blood pressure, smoking, a high-sodium diet, and lead exposure. High systolic blood pressure is the most significant risk factor in both men and women, and the effect of smoking and high systolic blood pressure on mortality increases further as we age [1].
Factors influencing mortality from aortic aneurysms by age
Previous studies have found that men, Caucasians, smokers, hypertension, dyslipidemia and other groups are at high risk of aortic aneurysms. For mainlanders, smoking habits and high systolic blood pressure are the most important risk factors for aortic aneurysms. Therefore, smoking cessation and prevention and control of hypertension can help reduce the national burden of aortic aneurysm disease, especially for men and the elderly.
Aortic aneurysms are generally asymptomatic in the early stages and are highly insidious, and most aortic aneurysms are accidentally detected on other tests. Ultrasound screening in high-risk populations has been shown to reduce the risk of aortic aneurysm-related death. People over 65 years of age with a history of smoking are recommended to have regular echocardiography and abdominal ultrasound.
If the aortic aneurysm can be detected early, the local dilation is small and the expansion trend is not obvious, and drug therapy such as controlling blood pressure and other risk factors is generally taken, and regular monitoring is carried out. If the aortic aneurysm is locally dilated or at risk of rupture, intravascular stenting or surgery may be considered.
If the aortic aneurysm has dissection or rupture, there is a common chest or abdomen severe pain and sudden drop in blood pressure and other symptoms, may be accompanied by pallor, sweating and other shock manifestations, then do not easily move the patient, should be the first time to dial the 120 emergency telephone, according to the guidance of professionals for rescue.
Brother Jian said
Aortic aneurysms are not tumors, but rather local lumen dilatations of the aorta and resemble tumors in shape.
Aortic aneurysms are prone to aortic dissection or rupture of aortic aneurysms, and once they occur, the mortality rate is extremely high, with 17,000 people dying from aortic aneurysms on the mainland in 2019.
Studies have found that the most important risk factors for aortic aneurysms in mainland populations are high systolic blood pressure and smoking, strengthening blood pressure management and smoking cessation, and regular ultrasound examinations in high-risk groups, which helps to reduce aortic aneurysm mortality.
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"On the Heart" - Medicine, Health and Lifestyle of the Heart
Works by Professor Liu Jian