Science Wednesday: Weight Lifting, Blood Pressure Spikes and Dissection The following is updated from August 2023. In our 2024 survey, nine percent of Aortic Athletes identified weightlifting as their primary exercise activity. We have all heard cautions from medical providers that heavy weight lifting is not recommended for people with a diseased aorta. Sometimes this message gets telescoped down to avoiding the Valsalva maneuver (taking a deep breath and holding it while lifting heavy weights). But are there other weight-lifting techniques that can also spike BP? On the other hand, are there lifting techniques that can reduce the risk of…

Aortic dissection is not always caused by a connective tissue disorder. In fact, dissection from a blunt force is a major cause of death in auto collisions.For example, I have a neighbor with no prior history of aortic disease who dissected when he fell off the roof of a house he was working on.And some athletic activities have more risk of collision than others, and - despite a lack of data - a consensus is that people with aortic aneurysms should avoid high impact sports.The 2025 Guidelines on competitive athletes and cardiovascular disorders address this topic.The Guidelines state that “trauma…

As recently posted by Aortic Athlete Julian Meldrum, in February 2025, the American Heart Association and the College of Cardiology issued new, revised Clinical Considerations for Competitive Sports Participation for Athletes With Cardiovascular Abnormalities. And they have some application to Aortic Athletes!The standards have been revised every five years over the last forty years as new clinical studies and medical practices become available.They apply broadly to anyone participating in competitive sports, from children to masters athletes. (See the diagram ranking the strength and endurance needed to participate in various sports.)And they apply to high-level recreational sports, including marathon runners, triathletes,…