Distended Ascending Aorta

[joelie]

I am 63 years old who has exercised his entire life, never smoked, drink in moderation and lived as a vegetarian, eating fish as well for over 35 years. The other day I was told I had a leaky aorta valve. I took a CT scan with dye, the results the ascending aorta is distended measuring approximately 4.4 cm in the mid ascending aorta. The root measures approximately 4.6 c. No free fluid is seen. My Stress Echo Report, showed resting BP 126/80 Peak BP 166/80 ECG Changes: Nil
Doppler complete-unremarkable, post exercise physiologic changes
Color flow Doppler-Resting-moderate aortic insufficiency Post exercise Moderate aortic insufficiency.
No provocable ischemia. Moderate aortic insufficiency. Dilated aortic root. CTA reviews. 4.6cm.
My home monitored BP on average was (AM PM) 135/83
My Questions
Is this a wait and watch situation? I have an appointment in four months for another echo.
They suggested I take Labetalol. I did not like what I read about Beta-blocker impotence effects
I asked for Diovan. Would taking this be of any value?

Thank you for any input you can provide

[Shasari]

They're looking at your heart every 3 months?  I've been diagnosed with the same thing - about the same level of enlargement, and the Kaiser cardiologist gave me a 25mg daily dose of atenolol, never told me about impotence, and has cut me loose in space.

Good luck!  Hope you are able to extend your life as long as possible.

[pusher]

I should have type "and/or".  I have echos for heart problems and ct scans for aneurysms.

[pbanders]

Are you really getting a CT every three months? That's a lot of radiation exposure. Ask your docs if you can get an MRA instead.

[pusher]

If your doctors are like mine, it is a wait and watch deal.  I have an echo and a ct scan every 3 months for some of the same issues.  The beta blocker really helps reduce BP and HR.  Yeah there is the impotence thing but my wife said that a longer life with me was worth more to her than the other stuff.