Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
An aneurysm is a bulging or ballooning in the wall of a blood vessel. It is caused when a portion of the artery wall weakens. Like a balloon, as the aneurysm expands, the artery wall grows progressively thinner, increasing the likelihood that the aneurysm will burst. The most common location for an aneurysm to develop is within the aorta. The aorta is the largest artery in your body and it pumps blood from the heart to the rest of the body.
There are two main types of aortic aneurysms:
- The most common is in the segment of the aorta that runs through the abdomen (called an abdominal aortic aneurysm).
- The second most common site for an aortic aneurysm to develop is in one of the aortic segments that lie very near the heart (called a thoracic aortic aneurysm).
Abdominal aortic aneurysms can pose a signigicant health risk because they can rupture and cause severe internal bleeding. Also many times aneurysms go undetected due to the lack of symptoms. Early detection is important if you are at risk for an abdominal aortic aneurysm.
Causes:
Many diseases and conditions can cause the aorta to dilate (widen) or dissect (tear), placing you at increased risk for future life-threatening events such as:
- atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries)
- hypertension
- genetic conditions (such as Marfan Syndrome)
- a connective tissue disorder (such as Ehler-Danlos disorder, polychondritis, scleroderma, osteogenesis imperfecta, polycystic kidney disease, and Turners Syndrome)
- injury
Those with disease of the aorta should be treated by an experienced team of cardiovascular specialists and surgeons.
Risk Factors for an Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
- A male over 60 years of age
- Past family history of an immediate relative who has had an abdominal aortic aneurysm
- High blood pressure
- Smoking