Aortitis: What You Need to Know About This Inflammatory Aortic Disease


    Aortitis: What You Need to Know About This Inflammatory Aortic Disease

    Aortitis is a rare but potentially life-threatening condition that causes inflammation of the aorta, the largest artery in the body. The aorta carries oxygen-rich blood from the heart to all the organs and tissues of the body. Aortitis can damage the aorta and lead to serious complications, such as aneurysm, stenosis, rupture, or organ failure.

    What are the causes of aortitis?

    Aortitis can have different causes, depending on whether it occurs in isolation or together with other diseases. Some of the possible causes are:

    • Infection: Bacterial or viral infections can trigger inflammation of the aortic wall. The most common infectious cause of aortitis is syphilis, a sexually transmitted disease. Other infections that can cause aortitis include salmonella, tuberculosis, and endocarditis.
    • Autoimmune disease: Some autoimmune diseases can cause inflammation of blood vessels, including the aorta. These diseases are called vasculitis and include giant cell arteritis (GCA), Takayasu’s arteritis (TA), and IgG4-related disease. These diseases affect different parts of the aorta and other blood vessels and have different symptoms and treatments.
    • Other inflammatory conditions: Some other conditions that involve inflammation of the body can also affect the aorta. These include rheumatoid arthritis, polymyalgia rheumatica, sarcoidosis, and inflammatory bowel disease.

    What are the symptoms of aortitis?


    What are the causes of aortitis?

    Aortitis can have different symptoms depending on the location and extent of the inflammation, as well as the underlying cause. Some people with aortitis may not have any symptoms at all. Some of the possible symptoms are:

    • Chest pain: Aortitis can cause pain in the chest, especially if it affects the ascending part of the aorta near the heart.
    • Abdominal pain: Aortitis can cause pain in the abdomen, especially if it affects the descending part of the aorta that supplies blood to the digestive organs.
    • Back pain: Aortitis can cause pain in the back, especially if it affects the thoracic or abdominal part of the aorta that runs along the spine.
    • Headache: Aortitis can cause headache, especially if it affects the branches of the aorta that supply blood to the brain.
    • Vision changes: Aortitis can cause vision changes, such as blurred vision, double vision, or loss of vision, especially if it affects the branches of the aorta that supply blood to the eyes.
    • Fever: Aortitis can cause fever, especially if it is caused by an infection or an autoimmune disease.
    • Shortness of breath: Aortitis can cause shortness of breath, especially if it affects the pulmonary artery that carries blood from the heart to the lungs.
    • Swelling in the legs: Aortitis can cause swelling in the legs, especially if it affects the iliac arteries that carry blood from the aorta to the lower limbs.
    • Pain in the arms or legs with use: Aortitis can cause pain in the arms or legs with use, especially if it affects
      the subclavian arteries that carry blood from the aorta to the upper limbs or
      the femoral arteries that carry blood from
      the iliac arteries to
      the lower limbs.
    • Symptoms of inflammation: Aortitis can cause symptoms of inflammation, such as decreased energy, weight loss, or loss of appetite.
    • Symptoms related to other blood vessels: Aortitis can cause symptoms related to other blood vessels that are inflamed along with
      the aorta,
      such as skin rashes,
      joint pain,
      nerve damage,
      or kidney problems.
    • Symptoms related to an underlying disease: Aortitis can cause symptoms related to an underlying disease that is associated with
      the inflammation,
      such as sore throat,
      cough

    Hi, I’m Adam Smith

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