Who Is At Risk Of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm?

By Author: Katherine Roberts
Total Articles: 28
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Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm or AAA is common among people over the age of 60 but according to medical professionals younger people can develop it, too, especially if their family has a history in aneurysm.

AAA is defined as the ballooning of the large aorta which supplies blood from the heart to the abdomen, pelvis and legs. Statistics show that about 15,000 Americans die of AAA every year and most of them are men.

People who died of or are currently suffering AAA hardly felt any symptoms at the onset of the disease. Most of the time, the disease is only discovered accidentally while undergoing an ultrasound to address another health related issue.

The results from ultrasound or ultrasonography, however, are not as precise as the ones that you could get from tomography say professionals who are skilled in the area of life line screenings.

Although a dangerous health condition, AAA is curable especially if it has been detected in its early stage. Doctors will initially prescribe oral medications to individuals with a small aneurysm but if it is over 5.5 cm wide, it would be best to undergo ...
... a surgical procedure as this can already lead to a rupture.

Do not disregard abdominal pain that is recurring especially if it spreads towards your back. Taking this for granted can lead to the sudden rupture of an aneurysm on your aorta. Once the aneurysm measures over 5.5 cm, a person’s mortality rate is only 90%.

Factors That Trigger Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

Though it was mentioned earlier that the main target of AAA are senior individuals, even those who are in their 40s can be at risk if they fall into any of the following categories:

• They smoke

• With high blood pressure

• Obesity

• Diabetic

• Suffering arteritis

• Genetically predisposed to AAA

If you think you possess any of the above-mentioned risk factors for AAA, schedule yourself for a life line screening because this is the only way that you can prevent the sickness from going any further. You have to keep in mind that it is curable only if addressed early.

Hospitals and community health care centers offer life line screening packages and these are usually inclusive of AAA tests. After having been screened, your results will be sent to their in-house physicians or you may request to take it to your own doctor if you wish.

What is important is that a licensed doctor sees you immediately after you undergo AAA screening to recommend treatment or precautionary measures that will prevent progression of the disease.

Just like most types of arterial diseases AAA attacks silently. Oftentimes, people will only realize that they have the disease once they begin to experience recurring abdominal and back pains. Unfortunately, these symptoms only occur when the disease has reached its completion stage so don’t wait for that to happen.

Visit your doctor on a regular basis and take advantage of the affordable life line screening package that is offered in your area as this can save you from acquiring abdominal aortic aneurysm.