The aorta is your largest blood vessel, coming out of your heart and supplying the rest of your body with blood. But weakened areas of the artery walls or valve problems can prevent blood from circulating as it should. Aortic diseases include:

  • Aortic aneurysm. An area of the aorta weakens, causing it to widen or bulge out. The weakened area can eventually rupture, causing life-threatening internal bleeding. A thoracic aortic aneurysm occurs in the upper part of your aorta. An abdominal aortic aneurysm occurs in the lower part. 
  • Aortic dissection. If the inner layer of the aortic wall tears, it causes blood to flow between the other layers, separating them. 
  • Aortic valve stenosis. The flaps (leaflets) of the valve thicken, stiffen or grow together, narrowing the valve opening and reducing blood flow to the rest of your body. 
  • Aortic valve regurgitation (or aortic insufficiency). When the valve doesn't close completely, blood flows backward into the heart.

Nonsurgical Aortic Disease Care

Our cardiologists and vascular surgeons specialize in helping you prevent heart disease and offer advanced screening and diagnosis to identify your risks and find problems at the earliest stages. Our noninvasive treatments include:

  • Heart-healthy advice and guidance. We help you understand your risk factors and incorporate healthy behaviors to stop heart disease before it starts, such as eating right, exercising, and managing stress.
  • Monitoring. We keep an eye on your health through regular checkups and screenings to keep you safe and make sure you get any necessary care right away. 
  • Managing your risk factors. We help manage conditions that can lead to aortic disease, such as coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, heart arrhythmias, and heart failure. 
  • Cardiac rehabilitation. If you’ve had a heart attack or you’re living with heart problems that raise your risk of aortic disease, our rehab experts help you get healthier and feel better.

A Team-Based, Patient-Centered Approach

We make getting the care you need easier. By bringing together cardiologists, surgeons, and other specialists at a single appointment, you get the combined expertise of our knowledgeable team. We go over your options and develop a treatment plan to give you the best results.