The aorta is the largest blood vessel in the human body. It
carries blood from your heart up to your head and arms and down to your
abdomen, legs, and pelvis. The walls of the aorta can swell or bulge out like a
balloon if they become weak. This is called an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA)
when it happens in the part of the aorta that’s in your abdomen.
AAAs
don’t always cause problems, but a ruptured aneurysm can be life threatening.
Therefore, if you’re diagnosed with an aneurysm, your doctor will probably want
to monitor you closely, even if they don’t intervene right away.
Symptoms –
Most aneurysms have
no symptoms unless they rupture. If an AAA does rupture, you may experience one or more of the following symptoms:
- sudden pain in your abdomen or back
- pain spreading from your abdomen or back to your
pelvis, legs, or buttocks
- sweaty or clammy skin
- increased heart rate
- shock or loss of consciousness
Contact your doctor immediately if you experience any of these
symptoms. A ruptured aneurysm can be life threatening.
Diagnosis
–
AAAs that haven’t ruptured are most often diagnosed when a
doctor is scanning or examining your abdomen for another reason.
If your doctor suspects that you may have one, they will feel
your stomach to see if it’s rigid or contains a pulsing mass. They may also
diagnose one for screening purposes. They may also check the blood flow in your
legs or perform one of the following tests.
- CT scan of the abdomen
- abdominal ultrasound
- chest X-ray
- abdominal MRI
Causes
–
The cause of AAAs is currently unknown. However, certain factors have been shown to increase your risk for them.
Smoking -
Smoking can directly damage the walls of your arteries, making them more likely to bulge. It can also increase your risk of high blood pressure.
High blood pressure (hypertension)
Blood pressure refers to the level of pressure on the walls of
your blood vessels. High blood pressure can weaken the walls of your
aorta. This makes an aneurysm more likely to form.
Vascular inflammation (vasculitis)
Serious inflammation within the aorta and other arteries can
occasionally cause AAAs, but this happens very rarely.
Aneurysms can form in any blood vessel in your body. However,
AAAs are considered particularly serious because of the size of the aorta.
Types –
AAAs are usually classified by their size and the
speed at which they’re growing. These two factors can help predict the health
effects of the aneurysm.
Small: (less than 5.5 centimeters) or slow-growing AAAsgenerally have a much lower risk of rupture than larger aneurysms or those that grow faster. Doctors often consider it safer to monitor these with regular abdominal ultrasounds than to treat them.
Large: (greater than 5.5 centimeters) or fast-growing AAAs are much more
likely to rupture than small or slow-growing aneurysms. A rupture can lead
to internal bleeding and other serious complications. The larger the
aneurysm is, the more likely that it will need to be treated with surgery.
These types of aneurysms also need to be treated if they’re causing symptoms or leaking blood.
Who is at risk?
AAAs are more likely to occur if you:
- are male
- have overweight or obesity
- are over age 60
- have a family history of heart conditions and diseases and aneurysms
- have high blood pressure, especially if you’re between
35 and 60 years old
- have high cholesterol or fatty buildup in the blood
vessels (atherosclerosis)
- live a sedentary lifestyle
- have had trauma to your abdomen or other damage to your
midsection
- smoke tobacco products
Prevention –
Focusing on heart health can prevent an AAA.
This means watching what you eat, exercising, and avoiding other cardiovascular
risk factors such as smoking. Your doctor might also prescribe medicines to
treat high blood pressure or cholesterol or to help you control your diabetes.
Your doctor may want to screen you for an AAA when you turn 65
if you’re at a higher risk due to smoking and other factors. The screening test
uses an abdominal ultrasound to scan your aorta for bulges. It’s painless and a
quick screening tool.