It’s Topic Tuesday!

June Recap: Meet Your Aortic Care Team

As June comes to a close, we want to thank everyone who joined us for this month's educational series introducing the specialists who make up the aortic care team. Receiving a diagnosis of aortic disease can feel overwhelming, and one of the first challenges many patients and families face is navigating the healthcare system. With so many different physicians involved, it's not always clear who does what or why you may be seeing multiple specialists.

Throughout the month, we explored the unique roles each member of your care team plays in helping you live safely and confidently with aortic disease.

We began by discussing cardiologists, who are often the first specialists to identify an aortic condition. Whether evaluating a heart murmur, ordering an echo, managing blood pressure, or monitoring your aorta over time, cardiologists are often long-term partners in your care and play an essential role in preventing disease progression.

Next, we highlighted cardiac surgeons, whose expertise lies in treating diseases of the ascending aorta, arch, and aortic root. While many patients associate them only with the operating room, cardiac surgeons are involved long before surgery becomes necessary. They help determine if and when surgery is appropriate, explain treatment options, and perform some of the most complex operations in cardiovascular medicine, including life-saving emergency repairs for acute Type A aortic dissections.

We then introduced vascular surgeons, specialists who care for diseases affecting the descending thoracic and abdominal aorta. From managing Type B aortic dissections and aneurysms to performing minimally invasive procedures, vascular surgeons combine medical management, advanced endovascular techniques, open surgery, and lifelong surveillance to care for patients throughout every stage of their journey.

Our series also featured interventional radiologists, physicians whose unique expertise allows them to perform image-guided procedures through tiny incisions. Whether treating complications after endovascular repair, restoring blood flow during emergencies, or assisting with complex treatment planning, interventional radiologists are invaluable members of the multidisciplinary team working behind the scenes to provide minimally invasive solutions.

We also highlighted the work of diagnostic radiologists, whose careful interpretation of CT scans, MRIs, echocardiograms, and other imaging studies helps detect, diagnose, and monitor aortic disease. Although patients may never meet them, their expertise guides countless treatment decisions and provides the information needed for lifelong surveillance.

Finally, we recognized the critical role of primary care physicians. Often the first healthcare professionals to recognize warning signs, they help identify risk factors, control blood pressure, coordinate referrals, and manage chronic conditions that can significantly impact long-term aortic health. Their ongoing relationship with patients makes them an important foundation of comprehensive care.

One of the most important lessons from this month's series is that no single physician manages aortic disease alone. The best outcomes come from collaboration. Cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, vascular surgeons, interventional radiologists, primary care physicians, diagnostic radiologists, nurses, advanced practice providers, genetic counselors, and many other healthcare professionals work together to ensure each patient receives individualized, comprehensive care.

Every specialist contributes a different perspective, but they all share the same goal: protecting your health and helping you achieve the best possible outcomes.

As always, thank you for being part of the Aortic Hope community. Together, through education, awareness, and support, we continue to build hope—one conversation at a time.

Take care,

Keyana Zahiri

Brown Medical Student - 4th year