Skip to comments.
How a Torn Aorta Can Do Lethal Damage
NY Times ^
| December 20, 2010
| DENISE GRADY
Posted on 12/20/2010 10:19:32 PM PST by neverdem
The death of the veteran diplomat Richard C. Holbrooke last week shocked Americans and his many colleagues around the world. Mr. Holbrooke, 69, was a larger-than-life figure, a fearless and robust man who was apparently struck down without warning.
He became ill on a Friday, and was dead by Monday. According to government officials, the cause was a tear in his aorta, the artery that carries blood from the heart to vessels that feed the rest of the body.
Mr. Holbrooke underwent 21 hours of surgery from Friday to Saturday to repair the damage, and then another seven-hour operation on Sunday, all at George Washington University Medical Center in Washington. But no amount of surgery could save him.
Aortic tears may be unfamiliar to most people, but they kill at least 2,000 Americans a year, and possibly more, because some of the deaths may be mistakenly attributed to heart attacks. Tears are more common in men than in women, and most likely in people from 40 to 70. Their causes include uncontrolled high blood pressure, atherosclerosis and a genetic tendency to have weak tissue or an abnormal valve in the aorta. There may be no warning signs before the tear occurs.
The aorta is the biggest artery in the body, more than an inch wide in some spots. It has three layers; most tears start in the innermost one. Blood can then force its way into the tear and separate the layers, or peel them apart a type of damage called aortic dissection.
A flap and a false channel can form inside the aorta and impede blood flow. And the pressure from the blood can keep enlarging the tear and the flap. If the tear goes all the way through and the aorta ruptures, death can be almost immediate...
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; US: District of Columbia
KEYWORDS: 201012; aorta; death; genetics; health; holbrooke; richardholbrooke
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-20, 21-40, 41-60, 61-73 next last
1
posted on
12/20/2010 10:19:36 PM PST
by
neverdem
To: neverdem
Einstein also died from one of these.
2
posted on
12/20/2010 10:21:45 PM PST
by
RobbyS
(Pray with the suffering souls.)
To: 60Gunner
3
posted on
12/20/2010 10:22:42 PM PST
by
null and void
(We are now in day 697 of our national holiday from reality. - 0bama really isn't one of US.)
To: RobbyS
Didn’t John Ritter die of this too? And he was a good deal younger than Einstein or Holbrooke.
4
posted on
12/20/2010 10:27:25 PM PST
by
jocon307
To: jocon307
Yes, Ritter did. He was 54.
5
posted on
12/20/2010 10:32:13 PM PST
by
buccaneer81
(ECOMCON)
To: neverdem
How a Torn Aorta Can Do Lethal Damage Wouldn't this sentence alone be self explanatory to anyone at all familiar with what an Aorta is?
6
posted on
12/20/2010 10:36:57 PM PST
by
calex59
To: neverdem
If you've been or are a smoker, have had hypertension, and between 55-70 years old, please get screened. I would even suggest younger if you've had long term uncontrolled high blood pressure (IMHO). If you've been diagnosed with a bicuspid aortic valve in your life get screened regularly. I studied this in Cardiac Sonography school, and believe me this isn't something to mess around with. All it takes is a simple ultrasound and that could save your life.
They can catch it while it's still a dissection and repair it before it becomes an aneurysm.
7
posted on
12/20/2010 10:42:10 PM PST
by
StayoutdaBushesWay
(Why Johnny Ringo, you look like someone just walked over your grave!)
To: StayoutdaBushesWay
If you walked into an clinic..what would this ultra sound scan of your heart cost? Cash..no insurance?
8
posted on
12/20/2010 10:47:59 PM PST
by
Oldexpat
To: StayoutdaBushesWay
There were several other factors I left out, but if you have any disease that involves the aorta, i.e., aortic insufficiency (regurgitation), aortic stenosis, etc. Please make sure you see your doctor on a regular basis.
I had a relative who died that didn't take it serious enough.
9
posted on
12/20/2010 10:51:49 PM PST
by
StayoutdaBushesWay
(Why Johnny Ringo, you look like someone just walked over your grave!)
To: neverdem
this is what John Ritter died from, and the previous first gentleman of the Philippines actually was diagnosed and lived through the surgery....
10
posted on
12/20/2010 10:52:15 PM PST
by
LadyDoc
(liberals only love politically correct poor people)
Comment #11 Removed by Moderator
To: neverdem
In related news: Water wet, fire burns.
12
posted on
12/20/2010 11:00:02 PM PST
by
Slings and Arrows
(You can't have IngSoc without an Emmanuel Goldstein.)
To: Oldexpat
Honestly I couldn't tell you as it varies from different regions. If you live in So. Cal. I could possibly set up a free echocardiogram for you at my school, if not check out this site.
http://www.findtheaaanswers.org/ If you have any concerns don't mess around. That's why I got into this field, I
don't want to see anyone else’s family be devastated by this if I can help it.
Freepmail me if you want to discuss it further, I don't mind at all.
13
posted on
12/20/2010 11:05:26 PM PST
by
StayoutdaBushesWay
(Why Johnny Ringo, you look like someone just walked over your grave!)
To: Yehuda
I had the same tin foil thoughts......
14
posted on
12/20/2010 11:05:33 PM PST
by
Reddy
(B.O. stinks)
To: StayoutdaBushesWay
If you've been or are a smoker, have had hypertension, and between 55-70 years old,
Yes and Spokeshave is OK after ultrasound view.
15
posted on
12/20/2010 11:07:59 PM PST
by
spokeshave
(Islamics and Democrats unite to cut off Adam Smith's invisible hand)
To: neverdem
A ruptured aorta is what killed John Lennon too, although in his case it wasn’t due to natural causes.
16
posted on
12/20/2010 11:09:42 PM PST
by
Strk321
To: calex59
Wouldn't this sentence alone be self explanatory to anyone at all familiar with what an Aorta is? It would be not self explanatory to the actual nature of the pathology in a dissecting aorta, IMHO. That's why I included the illustration in comment# 1. It could have been complicated by an aneurysm.
17
posted on
12/20/2010 11:12:08 PM PST
by
neverdem
(Xin loi minh oi)
To: neverdem
Proof, we need government takeover of health care./sac
Why didn't they take him to Cuba? According to Moose Moore they have fantastic health care on the little Caribbean island. Oh wait they banded his movie down there because is was full of Barbara Streisand.
18
posted on
12/20/2010 11:12:27 PM PST
by
23 Everest
(A gun in hand is better than a cop on the phone.)
To: calex59; neverdem
Wouldn't this sentence alone be self explanatory to anyone at all familiar with what an Aorta is? "What is 'massive internal bleeding' Alex!"
19
posted on
12/20/2010 11:13:32 PM PST
by
Grizzled Bear
("Does not play well with others.")
To: spokeshave
Good to hear that. Did you get the ultrasound as a precaution, or did something else bring you to getting it done?
I can’t emphasize enough to my family and friends to get screened, this truly is a silent killer. It can be acute as well, if you get in an accident and suffer any chest trauma it can happen that way as well.
20
posted on
12/20/2010 11:17:04 PM PST
by
StayoutdaBushesWay
(Why Johnny Ringo, you look like someone just walked over your grave!)
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-20, 21-40, 41-60, 61-73 next last
Disclaimer:
Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual
posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its
management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the
exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson