Aorta Disease and Marfan syndrome

The aorta is the large artery that leaves the heart and provides oxygen-rich blood throughout the body. These diseases and conditions can cause the aorta to dilate (widen) or dissect (tear), increasing the risk for future life-threatening events:

• Atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).
• Hypertension (high blood pressure).
• Genetic conditions such as Marfan Syndrome.
• Connective tissue disorders (that affect the strength of the blood vessel walls) such as, scleroderma, osteogenesis imperfecta, polycystic kidney disease and Turner's syndrome.
• Injury.

People with aorta disease should be treated by an experienced team of cardiologists and surgeons.