Aortic Aneurysm Causes & Risks

Causes

Atherosclerosis is frequently associated with aneurysm. However, it is not thought that this disease alone causes the growth of an aneurysm. It is believed that other factors, such as high blood pressure or connective tissue disorders, must be present for an aneurysm to form.

Risk Factors

A risk factor is something that increases your chance of getting a disease or condition. Risk factors for an aortic aneurysm include the following:

• High blood pressure
• Smoking
• Arteriosclerosis, atherosclerosis
• Inherited connective tissue defects ( Marfan syndrome , Ehlers-Danlos syndrome )
• Polyarteritis nodosa
• Bacterial endocarditis
• Syphilis
• Age: 60 or older
• History of heart attack
• Obesity
• Family members with aneurysms, particularly male children of an effected mother
• Infectious aortitis
• Great vessel arteritis (Takayasu’s disease)
• Injury to the aorta, from either a motor vehicle accident or a stab wound

The US Preventive Services Task Force recommends that men aged 65-75 who have ever smoked be screened once for abdominal aortic aneurysm with ultrasound . This is a painless procedure that gives a picture of the abdomen using sound waves. Early detection of abdominal aortic aneurysm in this group has been shown to reduce mortality from this condition.