An abdominal aortic aneurysm is the enlarged part of the aorta. This affects the flow of blood to the body, increasing the heart rate or lowering blood pressure. It does cause an abnormal ECG, but it is mainly detected via imaging. A normal functioning heart can pump blood regularly and obtain a regular heart rate and blood pressure, but these are put at risk with AAA. Usually, AAA is caused by the hardening of the arteries, and is repaired in surgery.

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  1. Anna did a great job explaining and showing us what an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is. AAA is caused by the hardening of the arteries, and this is because of the lining of fat that builds up or against the blood vessels. The people who have a higher chance of being diagnosed with AAA is age, sex, family history, tobacco use and a history of previous aneurysms. When a person who is experiencing an enlarged aorta, several symptoms may occur including back, abdominal, leg and groin pain and may feel a pulsing rhythm right next to the umbilicus. There is a few ways AAA can somewhat be detected on an EKG if the person is having chest pain, but it is mainly diagnosed through an x-ray, CT, echocardiogram, and an MRI. The way to treat AAA is to keep the aneurysm from rupturing. Surgeries and procedures to repair or remove the aneurysm are usually done to prevent a rupture. If the aneurysm ruptures, it will lead to heavy and internal bleeding which can cause death. As you can tell having AAA is very dangerous.
    The drawing Anna has done shows how a normal aorta looks like compared to a person with an enlarged aorta, and I can see how much it can affect a person’s health, not just by something enlarged that bothers another part of the body but how easily it can possibly rupture. If something ruptured that close to a pumping thing would be so bad for the whole system. I can see how serious AAA having can get.

    Marie Friday

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