Are You At Risk for Aortic Aneurysm?
Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) describes a weakened area in the main blood vessel that carries blood away from the heart throughout the rest of the body. Because the artery wall is weak, the flowing blood makes it bulge out. If the bulging area gets too large, it can burst and cause internal bleeding.
Between 5-7 percent of all Americans over the age of 60 have AAA. It is often a silent disease that individuals do not realize they an AAA bursts. Each year, more than 15,000 Americans die from a ruptured AAA.
Fortunately, AAA can be diagnosed and treated before it reaches that point.
Facts about AAA
- Males are four times more likely than females to have AAA
- Males over the age of 60 with a history of tobacco use have the highest risk
- Males and females with a family history of AAA have a greater risk
- According to one study, the incidence of AAA has tripled over the past 40 years, making it the 14th leading cause of death in the United States
How Do I Know if I have AAA?
Unfortunately, you may not have any symptoms. The best way to find out is to ask your doctor for an evaluation. Often, the doctor can hear an abnormal sound when he or she places a stethoscope on your abdomen or by pressing gently on the abdomen to feel for an AAA. Ultrasound and computed tomography (CT) as well as X-ray exams can also help diagnose AAA.
Some symptoms can include:
- Pain in the abdominal area
- Pain in the lower back that spreads out
- Soft mass in the abdomen
- Pulsing sensation in the abdomen
How Is AAA Treated?
A small aneurysm may only careful monitoring by your doctor to make sure it doesn’t grow. If an aneurysm has reached a certain size or is growing too fast, your doctor may need to repair it to prevent further damage. In these cases, you will need to have your aneurysm treated with surgery or “endovascular grafting,” which is a newer technique that involves inserting a graft into the weakened blood vessel.