The aorta is the main blood vessel in your body. It carries oxygen-rich blood from your heart to the rest of your body. An aortic aneurysm is a weak spot in the aorta that bulges or balloons outward. Aortic aneurysm is a serious medical condition. If your aneurysm ruptures or tears open, it can cause life-threatening bleeding inside your body.
Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm, or Triple AThe aorta is the main blood vessel in your body. It carries oxygen-rich blood from your heart to the rest of your body. An aortic aneurysm is a weak spot in the aorta that bulges or balloons outward. Aortic aneurysm is a serious medical condition. If your aneurysm ruptures or tears open, it can cause life-threatening bleeding inside your body.CausesTo understand how aneurysms form, it helps to know a little about your anatomy. Your aorta has three main sections. The ascending aorta is the part that leaves your heart and creates a large arch as it curves backward toward your spine. The thoracic aorta is the part that runs through your chest. The part of your aorta that starts near the kidneys and ends just before it divides is called the abdominal aorta.Normally, the wall of your aorta is thick and elastic, but certain things can cause a weak spot to form in your aortic wall. These things are called risk factors.Atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, is a common risk factor. If you have this condition, a fatty substance called plaque can build up and damage the wall of your aorta.Other risk factors include smoking, high blood pressure, problems with a heart valve, inflammation, and injuries.When your aortic wall is weakened, the pressure of the blood flowing through your arteries causes an aneurysm.SymptomsAbdominal aortic aneurysms often don't have any symptoms, especially at first. If the aneurysm grows quickly, tears or leaks, you may have some of these symptoms: sudden pain in your belly, groin, back, legs or buttocks, breathing problems or shortness of breath, nausea and vomiting, clammy, sweaty skin, throbbing or pulsing in your belly, dizziness and rapid pulse. If you have any of these symptoms, call your healthcare provider right away.A splitting or rupturing abdominal aneurysm can cause sudden severe sharp pain and your back, belly or side. This is a life-threatening emergency. If you feel this type of pain, call 911 right away.DiagnosisYour healthcare provider may find an aneurysm during a routine exam. Aneurysms are also sometimes found when you have imaging studies done for other reasons. A screening ultrasound can also reveal an aneurysm. Imaging tests can help rule out other causes of your symptoms. CT and MRI scans can give your healthcare provider a clear view of your aorta. Ultrasounds and echocardiograms can show how blood flows through your heart and aorta.TreatmentTreatment depends on the location and size of your aneurysm. It also depends on the state of your health. If you have a small aneurysm, you may not need any treatment. Your healthcare provider will see you regularly to make sure your aneurysm isn't getting any bigger.If you have a large, growing aneurysm, you may need surgery. Ruptured aneurysms and some aortic dissections require emergency surgery. If you have surgery, a strong graft material will replace the damaged area of your aorta. This may require open surgery. Although sometimes you can have a less-invasive procedure called endovascular surgery.Your healthcare provider may prescribe medicines to control your blood pressure and heart rate. Controlling these two things may slow the growth of your aneurysm. You will likely have routine imaging tests to check the size of your aneurysm.Making healthy lifestyle changes can help prevent aneurysms from forming or getting worse. If you smoke, quit. Make sure you are eating a healthy diet. Talk with your healthcare provider about the right activity level for you, and get active.Things to rememberAortic aneurysms form in a weak area of your aorta. They don't always have symptoms. Your aneurysm may be treated with medicines or surgery. A dissected or ruptured aneurysm is an emergency. Call 911 or your local emergency number right away.What we have learnedAortic aneurysms may not have symptoms. True or false? The answer is true. Most aneurysms are found during tests for other health conditions.Aortic aneurysms require surgical treatment. True or false? The answer is false. Small aneurysms may not need treatment, or may be treated with medicines.
Date Last Reviewed: 01/01/2021
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