Aortic Aneurysm

On this page

Basics

• Summary
• Start Here
• Diagnosis and Tests
• Treatments and Therapies

Learn More

• Related Issues
• Specifics
• Genetics

See, Play and Learn

• No links available

Research

• Statistics and Research
• Clinical Trials
• Journal Articles

Resources

• Reference Desk
• Find an Expert

For You

• Patient Handouts

Summary

An aneurysm is a bulge or "ballooning" in the wall of an artery. Arteries are blood vessels that carry oxygen-rich blood from the heart to other parts of the body. If an aneurysm grows large, it can burst and cause dangerous bleeding or even death.

Most aneurysms are in the aorta, the main artery that runs from the heart through the chest and abdomen.

There are two types of aortic aneurysm:

• Thoracic aortic aneurysms (TAA) - these occur in the part of the aorta running through the chest
• Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) - these occur in the part of the aorta running through the abdomen

Most aneurysms are found during tests done for other reasons. Some people are at high risk for aneurysms. It is important for them to get screening, because aneurysms can develop and become large before causing any symptoms. Screening is recommended for people between the ages of 65 and 75 if they have a family history, or if they are men who have smoked. Doctors use imaging tests to find aneurysms. Medicines and surgery are the two main treatments.

NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Start Here

• What Is Aortic Aneurysm? (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) Also in Spanish

Diagnosis and Tests

• Abdominal Ultrasound (American College of Radiology; Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish
• Heart Health Tests: MedlinePlus Health Topic (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
• Screening for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (U.S. Preventive Services Task Force) - PDF
• Tests for Lung Disease (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) Also in Spanish

Treatments and Therapies

• Aneurysm Repair (Texas Heart Institute) Also in Spanish

Related Issues

• What Causes a Pseudoaneurysm? Should a Pseudoaneurysm Always be Treated? (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish

Specifics

• Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
• Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) (American College of Radiology; Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish
• Aortic Dissection (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
• Talk to Your Doctor about Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion) Also in Spanish

Genetics

• Familial thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Loeys-Dietz syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)

Statistics and Research

• Aortic Aneurysm (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Aneurysm, Dissecting (National Institutes of Health)
• ClinicalTrials.gov: Aortic Aneurysm (National Institutes of Health)
• ClinicalTrials.gov: Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal (National Institutes of Health)
• ClinicalTrials.gov: Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

• Article: Aortic aneurysms and markers of platelet activation, hemostasis, and endothelial disruption...
• Article: Preoperative pericardial hematoma in patients with acute type A aortic dissection...
• Article: S100B predicts neurological injury and 30-day mortality following surgery for acute...
• Aortic Aneurysm -- see more articles

Reference Desk

• Glossary (Vascular Cures)

Find an Expert

• National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Patient Handouts

• Abdominal aortic aneurysm (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Abdominal aortic aneurysm repair - open (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Abdominal aortic aneurysm repair - open - discharge (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Aortic aneurysm repair - endovascular (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Aortic aneurysm repair - endovascular- discharge (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Aortic dissection (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Thoracic aortic aneurysm (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish