Q:
What are the risk factors and symptoms of aortic aneurysm?
A:
Genes contribute to your risk of having aortic aneurysm. Conditions that people can be born with that can affect the aorta include a bicuspid aortic valve, Marfan syndrome, and Loeys-Dietz syndrome.
Symptoms often don’t show up until the aneurysm becomes large, or bursts. But as it grows, you may notice some signs, including:
- Chest or back pain
- Coughing
- Difficulty breathing or swallowing
- Hoarseness
- Shortness of breath
