for about 4 months i had suffered a bad cold and cough, but taking medicines for coughs and colds were of no avail , so i went to a doctor and recommended me for an x-ray . the x-ray showed that i have a tortuous aorta or atheromatous aorta.I underwent several laboratory test on my blood and everything is normal. My lungs are perfectly fine.But I have an occasional attack of hard cough... is my having a coughs related to my tortuous aorta?
Nick,
Merry Christmas to you too, and thanks for the quick and terrific response. I'm 5-10, 165. I've read about Marfans and ED and it doesn't seem like I have either of these, although I've never discussed it with a doctor. Waiting to talk to the cardiologist again to ask him about a number of things I've found, including whether my high-ish controlled bp is at all acceptable given the dilation and whether the recent 4.0 describes the root or something else. I will definitely ask about ARBs and ACE inhibitors (your stuff here is helpful). His plan is to echo next year and determine whether it's growing (although he doesn't yet know about the previous 3.6 measurement, which was 9.5 years ago).
Will likely PM you later, as I'd like to fully understand the ARB/ACE details before discussing with my dr...thanks again.
Dan
It's impossible to know the true "normal" aortic size. It actually varies quite a bit. We can predict a range based on your height and weight, but you haven't provided those.
If you are an average size male, then 4.0 is a bit large. I'm assuming that both the 3.6 and 4.0 measurements were at the aortic root and that this progression of 4mm has occurred over the past 8 years.
Unless you are a very large man and 4.0 is "normal" for you, I would be wary of lifting very heavy weights with a 4.0 root. I'd also be wary of a cardiologist who puts no restrictions on exercise. You might seek out a second opinion from a cardiologist at a high-profile or high-volume medical university.
As for your questions:
Can't predict what's causing the dilatation. You said you're thin. Do you have signs of Marfan or other similar connective tissue disease? Sometimes, these kinds of diseases can cause aortic dilatation. However, often, aortic disease occurs in isolation. Generally, the causes are problems with connective tissue (for whatever reason) and age-related atherosclerosis/high BP.
I would not worry too much, particularly if you are a large-sized guy. The larger you are, the more normal a 4.0 is for you. If I was in your shoes, I would get regular imaging (CT/MRI every few years and echo every year), limit heavy weightlifting, do no more than moderate exercise (150bpm is higher than what docs currently recommend but I've never seen convincing studies/evidence that establish precisely why a higher pulse rate is necessarily bad), and MOST IMPORTANTLY OF ALL, I'd read up on the latest research with angiotensin receptor blockers (like telmisartan) and ACE inhibitors (like perindopril). When taken at maximal or super-maximal dosages, these drugs have been shown to reverse or at least halt aortic dilatation. You sound like a potentially good candidate. Click on my screenname and read my many posts on the topic. Send me a private message if you'd like to discuss more. This is not pie-in-the-sky stuff. Clinical trials are underway, many studies have been done in the past year or two on the topic, and knowledgeable cardiologists around the world have begun this treatment for their aortic patients with great success.
Merry Christmas,
N