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Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Research Paper

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An abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is an area in the lower part of the aorta that becomes enlarged.1 The aorta is usually about the width of a garden hose,1 but when it dilates 1.5 times the diameter of its normal width (commonly about 3 cm) it is then termed a AAA.2 Although an aneurysm can occur along any part of the aorta, it is termed “abdominal” along any segment below the diaphragm.3 An aneurysm above the level of the diaphragm is termed “thoracic.”1 The most common location for a AAA to occur is the infrarenal segment,2 therefore it is common practice to restrict the term AAA to that portion of the aorta.3 There are two types of AAA, bulging and dissecting.1,3 Bulging (or ballooning) aneurysms can be either fusiform or saccular.4 Most aneurysms are fusiform since the whole artery is affected, but in more rare cases can be saccular.3 An aortic dissection occurs when the inner layer of the aorta tears and perfusion of blood …show more content…

Risk factors for an AAA include: age of 65 years old, smoking, atherosclerosis, male gender, and family history.1,2,3,4 The three most powerful predictors are age, smoking and male gender, and smoking accounts for 78% of the excess prevalence of AAA.2 Gene defects with some of the connective tissue disorders associated with AAA have been identified in chromosome 11 and 15,4 but genetic background paired with environmental factors is a more likely cause of AAA than genetics alone.3 Family members are four times more at risk for an AAA if a parent, adult child, or sibling has had an AAA4 (15-19% in relatives, compared to 1-3% in unrelated cases).3 Additional risk factors that are seen in individuals with an aortic dissection include: hypertension, pre-existing aortic aneurysms, an aortic valve defect, aortic coarctation, certain genetic diseases (Turner’s syndrome, Marfan syndrome, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, and Loeys-Dietz syndrome), and inflammation or infection (giant cell arteritis, syphilis, and sexually transmitted

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