FG is now under 'high-risk' surgery for heart aneurysm

(Update 3) First Gentleman Jose Miguel "Mike" Arroyo is undergoing what doctors at the St. Luke's Medical Center described as a "very high-risk surgery" due to heart aneurysm. The operation that started an hour ago in the said hospital at 279 E. Rodriguez Sr. Boulevard in Quezon City, will last for eight to 10 hours, radio dzBB reported at about 8 p.m., Monday, quoting St. Luke's medical bulletin. Mr Arroyo arrived at St. Luke's at about 1 p.m., Monday, after he was discharged earlier in the day from St. Louis University Hospital in Baguio City where doctors said that he was just suffering from gastritis, a not so serious ailment. Based on St. Luke's medical report, Mr Arroyo was found suffering from dissecting aortic aneurysm. DzBB quoted attending physician, Dr. Juliet Cervantes, as saying that "it is very hard to give the percentage" of Mr Arroyo's survival. The aorta is the biggest blood vessel in the heart that pumps blood into the body through the arteries. According to Medline Plus, "aortic dissection is a potentially life-threatening condition in which there is bleeding into and along the wall of the aorta." MediPlus says that "an aortic dissection may also involve abnormal widening or ballooning of the aorta" or what is called aneurysm. “Extensive workup (was) done and we eventually diagnosed him to have a dissecting aortic aneurysm. He is now currently undergoing very high risk surgery," Cervantes said, quoting portions the medical bulletin. The radio report further said a team of specialist is conducting the operation to repair the aorta. Cervantes said Mr Arroyo’s present condition was not detected when he underwent angioplasty in the same hospital last December. She said hypertension is the main cause of Mr Arroyo's health problem. She added President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is watching over the operation. She said the President looks calm. The medical bulletin issued by St. Luke's read: “Mr Arroyo was rushed to a Baguio hospital after experiencing severe abdominal pain which initially presented as chest pain. With his history of previous coronary artery disease for which he underwent angioplasty in December 2006, the doctors in Baguio evaluated the heart, which was found to be stable." "Initial tests were done in Baguio with a discharge diagnosis of gastritis. With the persistence of abdominal pain radiating in the upper back, he then was transferred to St Luke’s Medical Center," the report added. The bulletin said: "The First Family requests your prayers during this difficult time." According to Medicinenet , the most common cause of aortic aneurysms is "hardening of the arteries" called arteriosclerosis. It said at least 80 percent of aortic aneurysms are from arteriosclerosis. Medicinenet said other causes of aortic aneurysms include: 1. Cigarette smoking which does not only increase the risk of developing an abdominal aortic aneurysm, but also the the chance of aneurysm rupture (a life threatening complication of abdominal aneurysm) is also more common among active smokers. 2. High blood pressure 3. High serum cholesterol 4. Diabetes mellitus 5. Genetic origin or a familial tendency to developing abdominal aortic aneurysms. "Individuals with first-degree relatives having abdominal aortic aneurysms have a higher risk of developing abdominal aortic aneurysm than the general population," Medicinenet said. -GMANews.TV