Aortic Root

[KenK]

I am 60 yr old, 170 pound, 6'2" male, non-smoker.  An angiogram 1.5 years ago indicated diliated aortic root 4.8 cm; last month cardiac MRI showed aortic root was actually 4.2 cm.  WHAT ARE THE GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR LIFTING WEIGHTS, WITH MILD DILATION / ANURISM, LIKE MINE?  

Dr told me to not lift anything above 10 to 20 pounds. This seems really extreme, considering only mild dilation. (I go to the gym every day and previsly did light weight-lifting -- under 80 pounds). Also he increased beta blocker, tenormin, that I am taking from 25mg / day to 50 mg / day.  I am also taking 40 mg / acupril.  He wants my better control my blood pressure; it is now usually 100/65; before increasing tenormin it was usually 120/75.  He wants to see me in 6 months.  

I have Left Bundle Branch Block, slightly enlarged left ventrical wall.  Mild CAD; one of C artieries is small, which probably causes occasional chest painds,. No chest pain since increasing tenormin dosage.    Previous agiograms, echos, and other tests every year during last 10 years did not show any enlargement of aortic root.

IS THERE ANY LINKAGE BETWEEN LBBB AND ANURYSM?


Thanks,
Ken

[CCF-M.D.-MJM]

Hi KenK,

I did not find specific guidelines regarding how much people with aortic aneurysm can lift.  There is probably no way to know exactly how much weight is safe -- but certainly to error on less weight is certainly safer.

I did not find a direct link between aortic aneursyms and LBBB, but this does not mean a direct or indirect link does not exist.  The most important thing is control of your hypertension and it sounds like you are making progress with that.

Good luck.

[zk]

If you had an angiogram 1.5 years ago which indicated aortic root 4.8 cm but last month cardiac MRI showed aortic root was actually 4.2 cm, I am just curious why is there such significant difference beween the two.What angiogram did you have 1.5 years ago and how do you know whether your aortic root is 4.8 or 4.2 cm?

[KenK]

The cardiologist says that a cardiac MRI is the "gold standard."  The measurements are more accurate than angiograms.

[zk]

Was angiogram that you had 1.5 years ago catheterization angiogram or non-invasive mr angiogram? According to my cardiologist the normal measurement using echocardiogram(ultrasound) is 1.8 to 4.2 cms (18-42mm) at the root of aorta.If the upper limit of aortic root is 42 mmm than it is still normal and not an aneurysm by definition,unless it suddenly developed from lower figure.What does your cardiologist think upper normal limits are? What's the name of cardiac mri(model) that you had?

[KenK]

The catherization angiogram that I had 1.5 years ago indicated aortic root was 4.8 cm.  Previous catherization anagiograms did not indicate a dialated aortic root. I do not know the size in the preous tests, including echos.  The same caradiologist reviewed the results of the previous tests and said that the aortic root was not dialited at that time, per those tests.