Introduction
An aneurysm is a bulge in a blood vessel caused by a weakness in the blood vessel wall. As blood passes through the weakened blood vessel, the blood pressure causes it to bulge outwards like a balloon.
Exactly what causes the blood vessel wall to weaken is unclear, though hardening of the arteries, smoking and high blood pressure are thought to increase the risk of an aneurysm.
Read more about the possible causes of an aneurysm.
Aneurysms can occur anywhere in the body, but the two most common places for them to form are in the abdominal aorta and the brain.
This topic is about abdominal aortic aneurysms. Find out more about brain aneurysm.
The Abdominal Aorta
The abdominal aorta is the largest blood vessel in the body. It is roughly the width of a garden hose. It transports oxygen-rich blood away from the heart to the rest of the body.
It runs in a straight line down from the heart, through the chest and abdomen before branching off into a network of smaller blood vessels.
In most cases, an abdominal aortic aneurysm causes no noticeable symptoms and does not pose a serious threat to health.
However, there’s a risk that a larger aneurysm could burst open (rupture). A ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm can cause massive internal bleeding, which is usually fatal. Four out of five people with a ruptured aortic aneurysm will die as a result.
The most common symptom of a ruptured aortic aneurysm is sudden and severe pain in the abdomen.
If you suspect that you or someone else has had a ruptured aneurysm, call 999 immediately and ask for an ambulance.
Read more about the symptoms of an abdominal aortic aneurysm.
Treatment
The aim of treatment is to prevent the aneurysm from rupturing. This is usually done with surgery to replace the weakened section of the blood vessel with a piece of synthetic tubing.
However, preventative surgery carries a small risk of causing serious complications. It's usually only recommended if it’s thought that the risk of a rupture is high enough to justify the risk of surgery.
The size of the aneurysm is often used to measure the risk of it rupturing. Preventative surgery is often recommended for an abdominal aortic aneurysm that's larger than 5.5cm.
A number of non-surgical treatments can also be used to reduce the risk of an aneurysm rupturing. They include a type of medication known as a statin, or quitting smoking if you smoke.
Read more about treating abdominal aortic aneurysm.
Screening
The NHS Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) screening programme is being introduced gradually from June 2012 after evidence has shown that this should reduce deaths from ruptured AAAs through early detection, appropriate monitoring and treatment.
It will be fully implemented across NHS Scotland by December 2013 and all 65 year old men will receive an invitation to attend for screening.
Those over 65 years can self refer.
To find out more, please visit the AAA Screening section of the Screening Scotland Zone.
Who is affected?
Abdominal aortic aneurysms are most common in men aged over 65, with around in 1 in 25 men being affected.
The number of aortic aneurysms that rupture is much smaller.
Prevention
The best way to prevent getting an aneurysm, or reduce the risk of an aneurysm growing bigger and possibly rupturing, is to avoid any activities that could damage your blood vessels, such as:
- smoking
- eating a high-fat diet
- not exercising regularly
- being overweight or obese