It's #AorticDiseaseAwarenessMonth and #AorticDissectionAwarenessWeek. Today Emmanuel Mbaka, The African Perfusionist teaches us 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗗𝗼 𝗪𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗗𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗦𝘂𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗿𝘆? There is one organ we think about constantly during complex aortic surgery. The brain. Your brain depends on a continuous supply of oxygenated blood. But there is something important about the anatomy: the arteries carrying blood toward the brain arise from th

It's #AorticDiseaseAwarenessMonth and #AorticDissectionAwarenessWeek. Today, Emmanuel Mbaka, The African Perfusionist will explain: 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗪𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗕𝗼𝗱𝘆 𝗗𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗦𝘂𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗿𝘆? Imagine being told before your operation: “During your surgery, we will cool your body.” That statement alone can sound frightening. You might immediately ask: “How cold are you going to make me?” In complex aortic surgery, particularly when we are operating

🏡❤️ THE WORDS YOU’VE BEEN WAITING TO HEAR: “YOU’RE GOING HOME!” After aortic surgery, there are milestones that feel HUGE—the first time sitting up, the first walk down the hallway, getting tubes and lines removed…and then comes one of the best: GOING HOME! 🎉 Walking out of the hospital is absolutely something to celebrate. You’ve been through major surgery, long days, interrupted nights, countless vital checks and probably more hospital food than you ever wanted. 😉 But di

❤️ WHAT HAPPENS AFTER AORTIC SURGERY? You’ve made it through surgery—but what happens next? In his latest The African Perfusionist post, Emmanuel Mbaka walks patients and families through one of the biggest questions surrounding recovery: “What Should I Expect During My First Week in the Hospital? The First Days After Aortic Surgery” From waking up in the ICU and understanding all those tubes and monitors, to getting out of bed, walking the halls, managing pain, breathing exe

🫵 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗯𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗲𝗹𝘀𝗲’𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲. ⭐❤️ 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝟭𝟬 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀, 𝗔𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗛𝗼𝗽𝗲 has been sharing the real stories of patients, survivors, and caregivers—because sometimes hearing “I’ve been there” is exactly what someone needs. Whether it’s Aortic Valve Disease, an Aortic Aneurysm, or an Aortic Dissection, 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗼𝗻𝗲’𝘀 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲, �

💊🫀 It is #AorticDiseaseAwarenessMonth and we are discussing MEDICATIONS, MEDICATIONS, MEDICATIONS! 🫀💊 If you live with aortic disease, chances are your medicine cabinet has become a little more… interesting! 😂 Beta blockers? ACE inhibitors? ARBs? Blood thinners? Statins? Diuretics? And what exactly does each one DO? 🤔 Aortic Hope is here to help you make sense of it! 🎓 Check out our presentation with Dr. Kristin Watson, Doctor of Pharmacy, where she breaks down common

♥️ It's #AorticDiseaseAwareness month! Unlike emergency aortic dissection surgery, most surgeries are elective. Today, we are starting a series: Inside Aortic Surgery written by Emmanuel Mbaka, "The African Perfusionist" 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗘𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗔𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗦𝘂𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗿𝘆 When you are told that you need aortic surgery, your mind can immediately jump to the operating room. You may start imagining the surgeon, the anesthesia, the heart-lung machine, and every

🫀💙 𝗔𝗛𝗧𝗩 𝗤&𝗔: 𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝗘𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗲𝗹 𝗠𝗯𝗮𝗸𝗮 — 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗳𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗶𝘀𝘁! 💙🫀 We’re excited to introduce you to 𝗘𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗲𝗹 𝗠𝗯𝗮𝗸𝗮, cardiac perfusionist, educator, and the creator of 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗳𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗶𝘀𝘁! Join Carin Andersen on AHTV, Aortic Hope’s YouTube channel, as she sits down with Emmanuel to talk about: 🫀 What exactly does a perfusionist do? 🏥 What role does a perfusionist play during open-heart sur

Think Aorta Think Family Aortic Dissections are rare but Aortic Disease is more common than you think. Talk to your family about the family medical history. When in doubt, check it out. No matter how you say it or rephrase it, two simple words are saving so many lives. THINK AORTA! #AorticHope #AorticDiseaseAwareness #AortaEd #ASAP

This month we are focusing our attention on helping you ACE Your Healthcare Journey and today is about ADVOCATING. 🫀✨ ACE Your Healthcare Journey: A is for ADVOCATE ✨🫀 Advocating for yourself isn’t always easy — but it’s one of the most powerful things you can do on your aortic journey. 💙 Advocate = taking an active role in your care. Here’s how you can start: 📝 Keep copies of your records, scans, and test results ❓ Write down questions before appointments 👥 Bring a trus

🫀💙 Looking for a meaningful way to ease the emotional toll of aortic disease? 💙🫀 One powerful step is helping others feel less alone — and you can do that with our FREE Patient Awareness Posters. https://forms.office.com/r/WqrXNG3cAw 📦 Each pack includes 10 posters 📍 Displayed in exam rooms across the country 📱 Provides easy access to support groups & patient guides These posters don’t just share information — they create connection, spark conversations, and help patie

It's #ThinkAortaThinkFamily Thursday! 📑Knowing your family medical history can save lives. 🗣️Start the conversation with your loved ones and learn about the conditions that may run in your family. ❓Ask if any family member has had any type of aneurysm (not just aortic), an aortic dissection, a congenital heart defect such as being born with a bicuspid aortic valve, or a sudden death where an autopsy was not done to rule out aortic disease. 👉Aortic dissections are rare, but

✨ New year. Same body. Still worthy of movement. ✨ As we step into a new year, let’s remind ourselves of something powerful: Your body doesn’t need to change to deserve care, respect, or movement. Movement doesn’t have to look a certain way. It doesn’t have to be fast, intense, or impressive. And it definitely doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s. Maybe it’s 🐢 slow and steady 🕺 joyful and expressive 😴 intentional rest and recovery 🚶‍♀️ gentle, consistent progress Whate

💙 Movement for Movement Monday 💙 The hardest part isn’t the workout. It’s the decision to start. It has power over the brain. That tiny moment between thinking about moving and actually moving — that’s where the battle happens. So here’s your trick: 👉 The Two-Minute Rule. Tell yourself, “I’m already doing it.” Not “I should move,” but “I’m moving now.” Because the moment you decide, you shift your brain from hesitation to action. You stop negotiating with yourself — and ju

Did you know that aortic disease can run in families—even when it doesn’t look obvious? Genetics play a HUGE role, and sometimes the signs aren’t what you’d expect. On this episode of AHTV, genetic counselor and survivor Ryan Rodarmer shares his personal journey of surviving multiple heart surgeries and aortic dissections, PLUS the critical questions you need to ask about family history, testing, and risk factors. 💡 If you or a loved one has been impacted by aortic disease,

Ever hear of the 5 Second Rule? Not the food one 😅 — the Mel Robbins one. Here’s how it works: When you feel yourself hesitate, count 5-4-3-2-1… GO. 🚀 No overthinking. No excuses. Just action. Stand up. Stretch. Walk. Breathe. Move. Because the truth is: your life changes in the moment you decide to act. 🚀 Try it today: The next time you feel stuck, count down from 5 and move. See what happens. 🎥 Watch this short video of Mel Robbins explaining her method: CLICK HERE . 🩵

Top North American Aortic-Awareness organizations stand together to save lives during Aortic Dissection Awareness Week (September 14 –...

🌀 Movement for Movement Monday Do you ever notice how the more you sit, the heavier your body feels—and the harder it becomes to get up? That’s not weakness or laziness. It’s your brain’s inertia loop at work. Here’s the science: our brains crave consistency. When you stay still, your nervous system signals, “This must be what we’re supposed to do—stay still.” The longer you sit, the deeper the loop. But here’s the good news—motion breaks the loop. Even a 30-second “pattern

It's #TopicTuesday 🚨 *Flying with Aortic Aneurysm or After Aortic Dissection: Know the Risks 💔* If you have an aortic aneurysm 🩺 or have experienced an aortic dissection , understanding the risks of flying is CRUCIAL 🚨. 🚁Changes in cabin pressure during flight could potentially increase stress on the aorta, leading to serious complications. # Key Considerations 🤔: - ⛔️ *Aortic Dissection *: Post-dissection, flying is generally discouraged for a period determined by

🧠 Let’s be honest. If nothing changes— ❌ Nothing. Will. Change. You say you want to feel better. Move better. Live longer. But let’s talk about what really happens if you don’t. Not in a decade—in a year: Still stiff? Still tired? Still frustrated you didn’t start sooner? 🎯 Here’s the truth: The difference between stagnation and transformation is a single uncomfortable step. Ask yourself right now: 👉 Do I want to be in the same place, physically and mentally, this time nex