Aneurysm, abdominal aortic

Causes of an abdominal aortic aneurysm

The aorta is the largest blood vessel in the body. It transports oxygen-rich blood away from the heart to the rest of the body.

An abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) occurs when part of the aorta wall becomes weakened and the large amount of blood that passes through it puts pressure on the weak spot, causing it to bulge outwards to form an aneurysm.

The abdominal aorta is usually around 2cm wide about the width of a garden hosepipe but can swell to over 5.5cm, which is what doctors classify as a large aneurysm.

Risk factors for an AAA

It's not known exactly what causes the aortic wall to weaken, although increasing age and being male are known to be the biggest risk factors.

One study found that people aged over 75 are seven times more likely to be diagnosed with an AAA than people under 55 years old.

Men are around six times more likely to be diagnosed with an AAA than women.

However, there are other risk factors that you can do something about described below the most important of which is smoking.

Smoking

Research has found that smokers are seven times more likely to develop an AAA than people who have never smoked.

The more you smoke, the greater your risk of developing an AAA. People who regularly smoke more than 20 cigarettes a day may have more than 10 times the risk of non-smokers.

The risk may increase because tobacco smoke contains harmful substances that can damage and weaken the wall of the aorta.

Atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis is a potentially serious condition where arteries become clogged up by fatty deposits, such as cholesterol.

An AAA is thought to develop because these deposits (called plaques) cause the aorta to widen in an attempt to keep blood flowing through it. As it widens, it also gets weaker.

Smoking, eating a high-fat diet and high blood pressure all increase your risk of developing atherosclerosis.

High blood pressure

As well as contributing to atherosclerosis, high blood pressure (hypertension) can place increased pressure on the aorta's wall.

Family history

Having a family history of AAAs means that you have an increased risk of developing one.

One study found that people who had a brother or sister with an AAA were eight times more likely to develop one than people whose siblings were unaffected.

This suggests that certain genes you inherit from your parents may make you more vulnerable to developing an AAA.

However, no specific genes have yet been identified.

Read about how to reduce your risk of developing an AAA .

Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 29 Nov 2016

Articles for aneurysm, abdominal aortic

Introduction

An abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a swelling (aneurysm) of the aorta; the main blood vessel that leads away from the heart, down through the abdomen to the rest of the body. The aorta is the largest blood vessel in the human body. This vessel originates from the heart, spans the chest and extends down to the stomach. The segment of the aorta which supplies the organs of the abdomen with blood, is called the abdominal aorta. An aneurysm is the swelling of a small segment of the aorta (up to 5 cm, when the normal width of the aorta lumen is 2 cm)

Symptoms of an abdominal aortic aneurysm

In most cases, an unruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) will cause no symptoms, unless it becomes particularly large. If your aortic aneurysm ruptures, you will feel a sudden and severe pain in the middle or side of your abdomen. In men, the pain can also radiate down into the scrotum. A ruptured aortic aneurysm is a medical emergency, and its important to get to hospital as soon as possible.

Causes of an abdominal aortic aneurysm

An abdominal aortic aneurysm occurs when part of the aorta wall becomes weakened, causing it to bulge outwards to form an aneurysm. Research has found that smokers are seven times more likely to develop an AAA than people who have never smoked. The more you smoke, the greater your risk of developing an AAA. People who regularly smoke more than 20 cigarettes a day may have more than 10 times the risk of non-smokers.

Diagnosing an abdominal aortic aneurysm

An abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) usually causes no symptoms. Therefore, they tend to be diagnosed as a result of screening, or during a routine physical examination when a GP notices a distinctive pulsating sensation in your abdomen. A diagnosis is usually made following consultation with a medical professional. The patient is recommended an abdominal ultrasound, or a contrast scanner, which both help the physician to determine the position of the aneurysm and its size.

Treating an abdominal aortic aneurysm

Treatment for an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) depends on several factors, including the aneurysm's size, your age and general health. The treatment of aneurysms depends on the condition of the patient, the position and size of the aneurysm, etc. If the aneurysm is small, it poses little risk, and thus the treatment adapted is conservative. The patient is usually advised to make certain lifestyle changes (quitting smoking, avoiding foods high in fats, exercising, maintain a lower blood pressure). If the aneurysm is large, a surgical intervention is necessary, which may involve: endovascular surgery, open surgery.

Preventing an abdominal aortic aneurysm

The best way to prevent getting an aneurysm, or reduce the risk of an aneurysm growing bigger and possibly rupturing, is to avoid anything that could damage your blood vessels. To prevent the occurrence of an AAA, the patient is recommended: to quit smoking, light exercise, avoiding foods high in unhealthy fats & to lose weight (if overweight), if previously suffering from arterial hypertension, to maintain normal values. If your GP finds out you have high blood pressure or a high cholesterol level, you may be prescribed medication for both.

Patient story: "I was able to go back to my part-time job within just three weeks."

When trumpeter Peter Cripps, had a CT scan for a kidney stone, an abdominal aortic aneurysm was also discovered. The surgeon came to see me straight away and recommended an open AAA operation, which was done on January 16 2007. The operation went really well, and I was out of hospital a week later.

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