With this disease, a saccular protrusion of the non-contracting and thinned wall of the heart muscle occurs. Aneurysm of the heart in most cases appears with a complication of myocardial infarction and is formed by tissues affected during myocardial infarction. Aneurysm most often occupies the left ventricle of the heart, sometimes the interventricular septum and almost never the right ventricle. It requires treatment, because it may cause thrombosis or rupture of the heart. Diagnosis of this disease is carried out using ultrasound, ECG and other methods. Heart aneurysm is treated surgically.
The reasons for the occurrence.
The main cause of aneurysm is myocardial infarction. During it, the part of the heart muscle dies , which is replaced by connective tissue in it, and a scar appears. At this point, the wall is depleted and can no longer contract. Then, the thinned area under the pressure of blood gradually begins to protrude outward - in this place an aneurysm occurs. Most often, this occurs in the left ventricle or interventricular septum, since a heart attack primarily affects these areas.
Symptoms
Usually, the symptoms of aneurysm duplicate the symptoms of heart failure or myocardial infarction, against which it occurs. Aneurysm is divided by the timing of development into acute, subacute, as well as chronic. Acute is observed during the first two weeks after a heart attack. The patient has shortness of breath and weakness, heart aches, fever, inflammatory processes in the blood, heart failure and rhythm disturbances are noted.
Subacute aneurysm is already developing from 3 to 6 weeks after a heart attack. Its formation and course is associated with the appearance of a scar on the heart in the area of a heart attack. It does not give any new symptoms besides the symptoms of heart failure: a strong heartbeat, shortness of breath, and fatigue.
Already after six weeks after a heart attack, the aneurysm of the heart becomes chronic. Its symptoms are not at all different from those of heart failure.
Complications
Aneurysm is a potentially dangerous disease. Its presence in itself introduces significant disturbances in the functioning of the heart and causes the progression of heart failure. For the heart, the main risk of aneurysm is associated with a blood clot migration or a possible rupture, it is much more dangerous than a simple tingling in the heart. For acute aneurysm, the possibility of rupture is most characteristic, which is fatal to humans. A thrombus migration with this disease occurs very rarely, however, if this occurs, the peripheral artery is blocked, which leads to the formation of a stroke, gangrene of the limb, heart attack of the kidney , etc.
Diagnostics.
At the initial stage of diagnosis, all symptoms of the disease that were described above are clarified. Then a general examination and examination of the patient is performed. One of the most characteristic signs is a strong pulsation of the upper abdomen and chest. With the help of an ECG, in which specific changes are detected, it is possible to establish an accurate diagnosis. Also, aneurysm of the heart is determined using ultrasound, in which you can determine its location and size. There are other, more complex diagnostic methods.
Treatment.
Today, the main method of treating the disease is surgical intervention, in which the excision and suturing of this defect of the heart wall is performed. However, surgery is only prescribed if there are complications of the aneurysm. This is a risk of a possible blood clot migration, rapidly developing heart failure, and cardiac arrhythmias that are not amenable to medical treatment.