Home Search SiteMap Contact Us Forum Videos Store Physician Board
printer friendly versionprint thisemail to a friendemail this
Advertisement

Vascular Disease Vascular Disease Basics

Only about 25 percent of individuals survive a ruptured aneurysm


Abdominal aortic aneurysms usually grow silently for years and the people who have them rarely experience any recognizable symptoms. An aneurysm is an abnormal enlargement or bulging of an artery caused by damage or weakness in a blood vessel wall. If left untreated, the vessel can burst and become deadly. The most common aneurysms are in the abdominal aorta, and the sudden, rapid blood loss associated with a rupture is responsible for 1 to 2 percent of all deaths in men over 65. This emphasizes the importance of screening, especially for men between the ages of 65 and 75 who are smokers. Smoking, high blood pressure, family history and age are the major risk factors for abdominal aortic aneurysm.


Advertisement


printer friendly versionprint thisemail to a friendemail this