The aorta is the largest artery in the body. The part of the aorta that carries blood from your heart through your abdomen, and splits into iliac arteries that supply your legs, is called the abdominal aorta. Smaller arteries also branch off the aorta at several points to carry blood to various organs and other parts of the body.
An aneurysm occurs when a weakened part of a blood vessel expands like a balloon. As it expands, the vessel wall becomes thinner and weakens, and there is a risk it will break open or rupture. A ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm is a life-threatening condition, but with medical help it may be prevented.
What Causes Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm?
Certain risk factors increase the chance of developing an AAA. These include:
• Family history of AAA.
• Age over 60 years, especially for men.
• Atherosclerosis (the buildup of plaque on the walls of your blood vessels).
• Smoking.
• High blood pressure.
• High cholesterol.
• Inflammation or irritation of the artery wall (causes are unknown).
Symptoms of an AAA
Although you may not notice any symptoms when an aneurysm develops, you may experience the following:
• A pulsing feeling in your abdomen, similar to a heartbeat.
• Severe, sudden pain in your abdomen or back. This may mean your aneurysm is about to burst.
• Rarely, you may develop pain, discoloration, or sores on the toes or feet because blood vessels supplying your feet become blocked by material shed from the aneurysm.
If your aneurysm bursts, you may suddenly feel intense weakness, dizziness, or pain. You will have internal bleeding and may lose consciousness. This is a life-threatening situation: seek medical attention immediately.
Diagnosis of AAA
An AAA is often found when tests are done for an unrelated problem, or your doctor may find it on a physical exam of the abdomen. If the aneurysm is large enough it can be felt by the doctor when you are lying down. Your doctor may use the following process to determine the severity of your aneurysm.
History and Physical: Because AAA can run in families, when you are having a checkup your doctor may ask whether any relatives have had an AAA. Your doctor will perform a full physical exam, especially of the abdomen. Be sure to let your doctor know if you have felt low back pain or tenderness in your stomach area or below your ribs.
Ultrasound uses sound waves to make images of your aorta and arteries on a screen. This test can measure the size of the aneurysm. It is a quick and painless procedure that can be done at your doctor’s office.
CT Scan and MRI are tests that show more detail than an ultrasound. A CT scan takes a series of x-rays that are put on a computer to form a picture of the aneurysm. An MRI uses radio waves made by a strong magnet to create images of your aorta without using x-rays.
An Arterial Doppler Study measures blood flow in your legs. The technician puts a blood pressure cuff on your leg and listens to the blood flow in your arteries through a special stethoscope. An arterial Doppler study can show whether a leg artery is blocked by plaque or a blood clot.
Arteriography: If you are diagnosed with an abdominal aneurysm, your doctor may send you for an arteriogram to show the amount of damage and its exact location. The test itself may take only a couple hours and is usually done on an outpatient basis, but with recovery time you should allow a full day.
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