Question about thoracic aortic aneurysms

Editorial Team / Admin · Aug 2, 2005

i originally posted this under the cardiac forum, but wasn't sure how much traffic it had, so thought i'd post it here as well.
my first husband died 12 years ago from what his doctor believed to be a thoracic aortic aneurysm. he was 30 and was a 2-pack-a-day smoker. at the time, our children were 5 & 2 and truthfully, i was so shocked and grief-stricken that i didn't pursue much info. on this. it has only been within the past year or so (since i decided i wanted to become an rn) that i've begun to research the condition. our kids are now 17 & 14, and i'm really starting to become more aware and concerned of the genetic risks.
my question is this - from your experience as cardiac nurses - at what age should they be tested, what type of testing, and how often? i've already stressed repeatedly that the best way to prevent any form of heart disease is simple - don't start smoking. but...having said that...i know they are dealing with being teenagers, peer pressure, etc. i don't want to scare them but at the same time i want them to take their health more seriously than the average teenager would, because of what happened to their dad.
any advice, comments, etc. would be most appreciated!

so sorry for you loss. you are to be commended on your ability to pick up and pursue a career and provide for your two children.

valid concerns. i would have your children udergo a basic screening now. especially if they are sons. your husbands condition could have been something that was unpreventable. but, as you know, bad habits do predispose us to all types of cardiac diseases and/or early death. so, have them visit their pcp and discuss this possible predisposition and, have some tests now.

and as for not wanting to scare the beejeebers out of them.....do it. i uderstand you do not want them to have to revisit heartache regarding their dad, but, they must understand....don't start smoking!!!

good luck and god bless!!

siri, crnp, clnc, rlnc

mommatrauma, RN · Aug 4, 2005

Sorry for your loss...In everything I looked up...all I could find is prevent what you can and cut out the risk factors..smoking, over-eating..e-i-e-i-o...and since there is a genetic factor and it is more prevalent in males than females...everywhere I looked it suggested at the very least your children should have yearly check-ups, although I couldn't find anything where it said if a CT SCAN should be done routinely at any certain age...unless there was some sort of physical finding...and at that point the age was variable...

grimmy, RN · Aug 4, 2005

how awful for you, and how courageous you are! :icon_hug: i hope that you will take stock of the info you've already received, but remember that you cannot force your children to do what's best for them, especially as they grow older. considering the genetic component, if there is a weakness in the aorta, we have incredibly low-invasive techniques to stent those areas or put in grafts. i do it everyday. its certainly not risk-free, but if it helps to know that there are ways to fix it, there are!

Mermer1030 · Aug 4, 2005

I originally posted this under the cardiac forum, but wasn't sure how much traffic it had, so thought I'd post it here as well.
My first husband died 12 years ago from what his doctor believed to be a thoracic aortic aneurysm. He was 30 and was a 2-pack-a-day smoker. At the time, our children were 5 & 2 and truthfully, I was so shocked and grief-stricken that I didn't pursue much info. on this. It has only been within the past year or so (since I decided I wanted to become an RN) that I've begun to research the condition. Our kids are now 17 & 14, and I'm really starting to become more aware and concerned of the genetic risks.
My question is this - from your experience as cardiac nurses - at what age should they be tested, what type of testing, and how often? I've already stressed repeatedly that the best way to prevent any form of heart disease is simple - DON'T START SMOKING. But...having said that...I know they are dealing with being teenagers, peer pressure, etc. I don't want to scare them but at the same time I want them to take their health more seriously than the average teenager would, because of what happened to their dad.
Any advice, comments, etc. would be most appreciated!

I am now taking my prerequisites for the ADN, however, this runs in my husbands family....his grandfather died of it, and his father at age 63. His father had never been checked. Robert goes X2 to the doctor for is check up's now. What we were told when his father died (the specialist went out of his way to call us at home) is that this is very hereditary, and any children should be checked THROUGH OUT their lifetime, as it can show up anytime. We were told the males usually have the aortic aneurysm, but the females should be checked, also, as in the females will show up as brain aneurysm.

The smoking is terrible and must watch the weight, too. Sorry, for the loss of your husband. They have much better treatment now and the survivor rates have really increased. Good luck... mermer1030.

wannabenursetx · Aug 4, 2005

Thanks so much for the replies! It helps to know that there are procedures for this condition if it's caught in time. In my husband's case, he had been having chest pain for several weeks prior, and did nothing about it. I found this out after his death from a good friend that he had told. I'll always wrestle with the question - why didn't he tell me? But, unfortunately,that's something I'll never know. My main concern now is to protect my children. My son is 17 and daughter is 14. What specific tests would I ask for at these ages?

Jolie, BSN · Aug 4, 2005

Thanks so much for the replies! It helps to know that there are procedures for this condition if it's caught in time. In my husband's case, he had been having chest pain for several weeks prior, and did nothing about it. I found this out after his death from a good friend that he had told. I'll always wrestle with the question - why didn't he tell me? But, unfortunately,that's something I'll never know. My main concern now is to protect my children. My son is 17 and daughter is 14. What specific tests would I ask for at these ages?

My father suffered a ruptured AAA at the age of 65, and survived only because he was in the ER at the time. He was a heavy smoker for most of his adult life, but had quit by then. I remember reading an article advising that immediate family members have abdominal U/S studies, but I don't recall the recommended age at which to begin. I would also make certain that your children's primary physicians are aware of their father's history, as they need to pay particular attention to abdominal exams during their physicals.

grimmy, RN · Aug 4, 2005

thanks so much for the replies! it helps to know that there are procedures for this condition if it's caught in time. in my husband's case, he had been having chest pain for several weeks prior, and did nothing about it. i found this out after his death from a good friend that he had told. i'll always wrestle with the question - why didn't he tell me? but, unfortunately,that's something i'll never know. my main concern now is to protect my children. my son is 17 and daughter is 14. what specific tests would i ask for at these ages?

while i am of the opinion that if you need the test you ought to have it, cost is a factor, especially for ct's and any sort of angiography. if you have a pcp that you trust implicitly, and your insurance is good, see what is available in your area. ask about aneurysm screening specifically. if there is any question of aneurysm, cts and angiography - maybe ultrasound, too? - are the tests of choice right now. ct is least invasive, and can rule out a lot of different possibilities. but, it is very expensive. check it out with your insurance and your pcp.