Ventricular aneurysms are one of the many complications that may occur after a heart attack (myocardial infarction). They usually arise from a patch of weakened tissue in a ventricular wall, which swells into a bubble filled with blood. This, in turn, may block the passageways leading out of the heart, leading to severely constricted blood flow to the body. Nevertheless ventricular aneurysms can be fatal, if they rupture.

Contents 1 Causes 2 Effects 3 Treatment 4 References

[edit] Causes

Ventricular aneurysms are usually aftereffects of myocardial infarctions. When the heart muscle (cardiac muscle) partially dies during a heart attack, a layer of muscle may survive, and being severely weakened, start to become an aneurysm. The blood may flow into the surrounding dead muscle and inflate the weakened flap of muscle into a bubble.

[edit] Effects

Despite the fact that ventricular aneurysms usually grow at a very slow pace, they still pose a growing danger to wherever they are located in the heart. Usually, this type of aneurysm grows in the left ventricle. This bubble has the potential to block blood flow to the body, and thus limit the patient's stamina. In other cases, a similarly developed pseudoaneurysm "false aneurysm" may burst, and sometimes may cause the patient to decease. Also, blood clots may form on the inside of ventricular aneurysms, and form embolisms. If these blood clots escape from the aneurysm, they will move throughout the body. If these blood clots get stuck inside a blood vessel, they may cause ischemic leg, a painful condition that can lead to reduced coordination in the aforementioned limb. They may even cause a stroke in certain cases.In certain cases, the aneurysm may even cause ventricular failure or arrythmia. At this stage, treatment is a must.

[edit] Treatment

Treatment is limited to surgery for this defect of the heart. However, surgery is not required in most cases but, limiting the patient's physical activity levels to lower the risk of making the aneurysm bigger is advised.

[edit] References

• Lohr, John T.. "Ventricular Aneurysm: Treatment". Answers.com. http://www.answers.com/topic/ventricular-aneurysm-treatment. Retrieved September 22, 2009. 
• Lohr, John T.. "Ventricular Aneurysm". Answers.com. http://www.answers.com/topic/ventricular-aneurysm-2. Retrieved September 22, 2009. 
• Graber, J.D.; Oakley, C.M.; Pickering, B.N.; Goodwin, J.F.; Raphael, M.J.; Steiner, R.E.. "Ventricular aneurysm. An appraisal of diagnosis and surgical treatment.". British Heart Journal. PubMed. http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=486989. Retrieved September 22, 2009. 

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v • d • e Cardiovascular disease: heart disease · Circulatory system pathology (I00-I52, 390-429) Ischaemic CD/CHD CAD · Coronary thrombosis · Coronary vasospasm · Coronary artery aneurysm · Coronary artery dissection · Myocardial Bridge Active ischemia Angina pectoris (Prinzmetal's angina, Stable angina) · Acute coronary (Unstable angina, Myocardial infarction / heart attack) Sequelae hours (Myocardial stunning, Hibernating myocardium) · days (Myocardial rupture) · weeks (Aneurysm of heart/Ventricular aneurysm, Dressler's syndrome) Layers Pericardium Pericarditis (Acute, Chronic/Constrictive) · Pericardial effusion (Hemopericardium, Cardiac tamponade) Myocardium Myocarditis (Chagas disease) Cardiomyopathy: Dilated (Alcoholic) · Hypertrophic · Restrictive (Loeffler endocarditis, Cardiac amyloidosis, Endocardial fibroelastosis) Arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia Endocardium/ valves Endocarditis Infective endocarditis (Subacute bacterial endocarditis) · noninfective endocarditis (Nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis, Libman-Sacks endocarditis) Valves mitral (regurgitation, prolapse, stenosis) · aortic (stenosis, insufficiency) · tricuspid (stenosis, insufficiency) · pulmonary (stenosis, insufficiency) Conduction/ arrhythmia Bradycardia Sinus bradycardia · Sick sinus syndrome Heart block: Sinoatrial · AV (1°, 2°, 3°) · Intraventricular (Bundle branch/Right/Left, Left anterior fascicular/Left posterior fascicular, Bifascicular/Trifascicular) · Adams-Stokes syndrome Tachycardia (paroxysmal and sinus) Supraventricular Atrial (Multifocal) · Junctional (AV nodal reentrant, Junctional ectopic) Ventricular Torsades de pointes · Catecholaminergic polymorphic · Accelerated idioventricular rhythm Premature contraction Atrial · Ventricular Pre-excitation syndrome Wolff-Parkinson-White · Lown-Ganong-Levine Flutter/fibrillation Atrial flutter · Ventricular flutter · Atrial fibrillation (Familial) · Ventricular fibrillation Pacemaker Wandering pacemaker · Ectopic pacemaker/Ectopic beat · Parasystole · Multifocal atrial tachycardia · Pacemaker syndrome Long QT syndrome Romano-Ward syndrome · Andersen-Tawil syndrome · Jervell and Lange-Nielsen syndrome Cardiac arrest Sudden cardiac death · Asystole · Pulseless electrical activity · Sinoatrial arrest Other/ungrouped hexaxial reference system (Right axis deviation, Left axis deviation) · QT (Short QT syndrome) · T (T wave alternans) · ST (Osborn wave, ST elevation, ST depression) Cardiomegaly Ventricular hypertrophy (Left, Right/Cor pulmonale) · Atrial enlargement (Left, Right) Other Cardiac fibrosis · Heart failure (Cardiac asthma) · Rheumatic fever heart navs: anat/physio/dev, noncongen/congen/neoplasia, symptoms+signs/eponymous, proc