Heart Health Archive

Most often, bulges in the aorta near the heart are found by accident. Should you be screened for this rare yet dangerous condition?

 Image: Nerthuz /Thinkstock

The aorta, the body's largest blood vessel, arises from the heart's left pumping chamber, then curves up and over the heart in a gentle arc. In some people, a weak spot in the aorta's wall causes the vessel to bulge outward like a worn-out bicycle tire. Called a thoracic aneurysm, this stealthy condition develops slowly and silently, rarely causing symptoms. And while some thoracic aneurysms are relatively harmless, others cause catastrophic problems. An estimated one in 10,000 people has a thoracic aneurysm, although the exact prevalence is unknown.

"Most thoracic aneurysms are discovered on an imaging test done for some other reason," explains Dr. Eric Isselbacher, associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and co-director of the Thoracic Aortic Center at Massachusetts General Hospital. For example, an aneurysm might be visible on an echocardiogram (heart ultrasound) done during testing for an irregular heartbeat. Because the condition is so uncommon, testing everyone for a thoracic aneurysm doesn't make sense. But certain people face a higher risk than others (see "Who needs to be checked?").

Wristwatch-style fitness monitors use a sensor that detects blood flow through the skin to estimate a person’s heart rate. Some brands are more accurate that others, but none are as accurate as chest-strap monitors. 

Anger or emotional upset may double the risk of having a heart attack. Heavy physical exertion appears to have the same effect. And people who do intense exercise while they’re upset or mad may face three times the risk of heart attack. 

People who drink at least one cup of tea daily may be less likely to have cardiovascular problems than those who never drink tea. 

Medications such as aspirin, statins, ACE inhibitors, and beta blockers are prescribed to certain patients to lower the chance of a first or repeat heart attack. New research shows that they also may reduce the severity of attacks that do occur.

A review of 31 studies indicated that calcium intake of 2,500 milligrams or less per day does not increase the risk of developing heart disease in healthy adults.

Reduce your dependence on medications with these strategies.

More than a third of all adults in the United States have high blood pressure—a systolic pressure (the top number in a reading) of at least 140 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg), or a diastolic pressure (the bottom number) of at least 90 mm Hg, or both. The condition injures blood vessel walls and forces the heart to work harder, increasing the risk for heart disease and stroke.

Taking medication to treat high blood pressure is just part of the solution.

An abnormal heart rhythm — when your heartbeat is too slow, too fast, or irregular — may be a fleeting, harmless event. But it may also be a symptom of a more serious heart condition. One of these common abnormal heart rhythms, known medically as arrhythmias, is atrial fibrillation.

Atrial fibrillation

In atrial fibrillation (afib, for short), the heart's upper chambers, or atria, quiver instead of beating normally. The result is a fast, irregular heartbeat, which may lead to dizziness and fatigue but is often symptomless. A related condition is called atrial flutter.