Acknowledgements
Content: Jaelene K. Williams, RN, MS
Medical Illustrations: Kathleen Wagner
Illustrations: Catherine Gendron
A ventricular aneurysm is a weakened area of the heart
muscle wall. It occurs on the ventricles (bottom chambers) of the heart
and forms a pouch on the outer wall like a small balloon. This condition
usually results following a heart attack (myocardial infarction) when
there is a lack of blood supply to the heart muscle. After a heart attack,
the damaged portion of the heart muscle heals by forming a scar. If the
scarred muscle area is large enough an aneurysm may form. Large aneurysms
can hinder the pumping action of the ventricle and contribute to the development
of heart failure. Some aneurysms can also contribute to irregular heart
rhythms. Surgical repair of an aneurysm maybe recommended to improve the
heart's ability to pump and decrease the frequency of heart rhythm disturbances.