Your vascular health is part of the overall foundation for a healthy body. Maintaining healthy blood flow and vessels can significantly reduce your risk of other serious health conditions such as heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, and peripheral artery disease (PAD). It can also regulate blood pressure ensuring your heart isn’t working too hard to pump blood. However, health problems can develop as you get older, including abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA), which can be a silent threat that often goes undetected.
“AAA is a condition in which the main blood vessels in our abdomen dilate or can happen as a thoracic aneurysm in our chest and expand under pressure,” said Dr. Jordan Knepper, vascular surgeon at MSU Health Care who performs procedures at McLaren Greater Lansing. “Unfortunately, AAA may not have any warning signs, so it’s important to talk to your primary care provider about your health and habits, family history, and get your screenings done timely.”
Dr. Knepper recommends anyone age 65 or older get imaging done to screen for possible problems. Those who have a history of smoking or are currently smoking, along with a family history of aneurysms and other medical conditions such as hypertension and high cholesterol, are more at risk of developing AAA.
“Starting at the age of 65 when you can begin Medicare, an ultrasound screening can be considered to detect any irregularities in your arteries,” said Dr. Knepper.
If detected early, certain lifestyle changes ─ such as implementing a healthy diet, quitting smoking, controlling blood pressure and cholesterol levels through medication as needed, and regularly exercising ─ can help reduce your arteries from worsening.
“Depending on the severity of the aneurysm, there are several treatment options, but we typically will only surgically intervene on any that seem risky or large enough to cause harm,” said Dr. Knepper.
In 2023, Dr. Knepper and McLaren Greater Lansing became the first in the Midwest to perform aneurysm repair procedures featuring advanced artificial intelligence (AI) technology, Cydar Maps, making him and the McLaren Greater Lansing surgical team one of 20 pilot sites in the United States capable of using the advanced system.
“Utilizing this new technology in our operating rooms helps us more accurately predict where these blood vessels are located,” said Dr. Knepper. “Because of the real-time mapping it provides, we’re able to treat more patients, more complex problems, and perform the repair faster and safer with fewer complications.”
While AAA is often asymptomatic, more serious conditions that aren’t detected can expand causing patients to experience symptoms including sudden shooting pain in the abdomen and back, nausea, a fast pulse, and dizziness.
“When it comes to vascular health, timely interventions and proactive management significantly reduce the risk of more serious problems or even death,” said Dr. Knepper. “If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, head to the emergency room for immediate attention.”
Dr. Knepper is providing a free Healthwise lecture on vascular health including the risks of AAA and treatment options on Tuesday, September 17, at 6 p.m. held at the McLaren Greater Lansing Event Center. Click here to learn more or to register. You can also call (517) 975-6600 for questions about the event.
To learn more about McLaren Greater Lansing’s Heart and Vascular Institute, click here.
To learn more about Cydar Maps for vascular care, click here.