aortic aneurysm + high blood pressure

[Guest]

hello all!

Bav patient here! This past year at age 27 we just found that I have high blood pressure(runs in family my mom had it at 18.)

Along with my bav the cardios have always had an eye on my aorta, as it was slightly larger even at a young age. It’s been growing very slowly(its at 3.6 at one part and 4.0 another). As I understand it, this likely won’t be a problem for another 10-15 years maybe longer(according to cardio)

I know it’s important with aortic aneurysms to keep bp under control, but I’m a little unclear how much and how important. I usually sit in the 130s/140s without meds and occasionally spike into 150s. My cardio said I wanna be 120s, but I see online in some credible places that below 110 is desired with my condition.

I can’t take beta blockers cause it drops my heart rate to the 40s but it did a great job with my bp. My first non beta med doesn’t seem to lower it. I’m a little worried I won’t be able to find a med that lowers it efficiently and that will cause my aneurysms to grow faster.

is if possible no blood pressure meds will work and I’m just stuck doing damage to myself?

once the aorta is repaired in the future, can I go back to heavyish lifting?

 

[jyg]

There are many options for blood pressure meds. You should bug your cardio poke around the pharmacy some more. If you cannot get him or her to keep working with you, I'd find a second opinion.

It sounds like you are in good physical shape already, and so that and your youth would make for the nice, low heart rate. One thing I would do in your situation is to not do heavy weight/low rep routines and stick to more cardio-oriented toning and aerobic stuff that keeps your heart rate well below the threshold for your age. Have you done a stress test where they check your bp?

I cannot speak for your specific situation, but I had a valve replacement and a large piece of my proximal arch replaced with a Dacron (soft, synthetic tube) graft. As the surgeon explained, the body eventually grows flesh over it and it really becomes part of you and it super strong and reliable, more than the rest of your aorta for sure. But, is the rest of your aorta able to handle the stress? Right now, probably it's anyone's guess. Think about it this way: you have a tube that might be generally weak. As pressure builds the weakest part expands to accommodate and in doing so actually relieves pressure from the rest of the tube. If you strengthen that part, such that it can never weaken again, another part of the tube may begin to buckle. Now, this isn't to say that's going to happen to you. I know nothing of your aorta. Please don't panic or lament because of my musings. But at the very least, you're going to have to get this checked regularly after the surgery, perhaps for the rest of your life, and play it by ear. What I do know is that most people with valve replacements and aortic grafts go on to live the most normal of lives, including weight lifting. It's all of matter of your personal genetics & physiology. Your cardio will probably not give you a definitive answer until after your surgery.

Out of curiosity, at what point in your aorta is the aneurysm growing?