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Topics: Food and Drink, Alcohol, Sport, Health
Mia Williams
A man was left untreated for three months following one mistake he made with a hangover, which could have proved life-threatening.
When you wake up feeling a little worse for wear the night after a heavy drinking session, it tends to be put down to a bad hangover.
But one man made a big mistake when he woke up one morning after drinking.
After looking in the mirror, he realised that his eyelids were puffy.
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He also noted that his face felt more swollen than usual, but blamed the strange symptoms on a bit too much alcohol the night before.
Weeks went by, and the 33-year-old Chinese man sought some help for his symptoms, which weren't proving to get any better over time.
Doctors failed to work out what was wrong with him, but initially found that there was too much protein in his urine, with his unusual case detailed by medics in the Journal of Medical Case Reports.
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After stating that this was the reason behind the puffiness, they sent him away with a prescription, but things only got worse.
It wasn't long before the swelling spread to the rest of his body, his chest began to tighten, and his abdomen was significantly swollen.
After booking multiple appointments and getting nowhere, he was inevitably rushed to hospital, where doctors finally uncovered the real causes of his symptoms.
Experts found a ruptured sinus of Valsalva aneurysm (RSOVA) - a rare and potentially life-threatening heart condition if left untreated.
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These aneurysms are very rare, affecting just 0.09 percent of the entire population.
But doctors have suggested that they are triggered by 'strenuous exercise' after drinking alcohol.
If the condition is left untreated, RSOVA can lead to heart failure, and death within just one year.
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But an early diagnosis is crucial for being able to surgically repair the rupture.
Doctors who were able to diagnose the man suggested that other health care professionals had missed the 'key signs' that warn of an aneurysm.
They noted that a failure to spot this 'delayed appropriate intervention', and allowed his condition to pose a 'serious risk'.
Experts informed the man that he had acute heart failure, which was responsible for his symptoms.
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However, after rushing him in for surgery, doctors were able to fully mend the rupture.
Luckily for the man, he is recovering well from his operation 18 months later, with no further complications.
In their report following the rare case, doctors noted that it is 'important to develop a strategy for the early recognition of aortic sinus aneurysm rupture'.