Marfan Syndrome

Marfan syndrome is a connective tissue disorder.  The walls of the major arteries are weakened such as the aorta, and small tears occur.  Blood can leak through these tears and cause an even bigger problem for the patient known as an aortic dissection. 
The disease is inherited and will affect different parts of the body.  The symptoms of this disease are heart problems, but doctors can also look at the patient's height and weight.  Marfan Syndrome presents in patients who are tall and thin, have slender fingers, long arms and legs, curvature of the spine and eye problems.  In the most severe cases life-threatening problems may occur at any age.  Once Marfan has been diagnosed, the patient will undergo routine chest xrays, ct scans, and echo cardiograms.  Also, prescriptions drugs are needed to help with blood pressure.  Surgery will be performed if an aortic dissection is noted. 

Daisy Hallmark

Information found at http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4672

Pulmonary Embolism -- PE

A PE is a very serious problem.  Many of the symptoms can go on without being noticed, therefore a medical doctor must perform the most appropriate tests to determine if a PE is the patients problem.  A PE is a blood clot that can travel into the lungs and potentially cause death.  The most common symptoms of a PE are chest pains, back pains, or shortness of breath.  The best tool to use to diagnose a PE is a PE study of the chest with a CT scan. 


Daisy Hallmark

Information found at http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/759765-overview