What Causes Abdominal or Thoracic Aortic Aneurysms?
Abdominal aortic aneurysms are rare in people below 60. About one in 1,000 persons develops an abdominal aortic aneurysm after 60, and this number increases with age. Men are more prone to aortic aneurysms than women. But very few aneurysms are actually large enough to warrant surgery. Apart from age, there are some factors that increase the risks of developing aortic aneurysms. They are: • Smoking. • Caucasians are more susceptible to aortic aneurysms than other groups. • People with coronary heart disease and peripheral vascular disease may develop aortic aneurysms. (Peripheral vascular surgery is necessitated when there is a narrowing of the blood vessels outside of your heart. Fat and cholesterol build up on the walls of the arteries and block the arteries. This can reduce or stop blood flow, usually to the legs, causing them to hurt or feel numb. Debris or plaque from aneurysms can also cause blocks in the arteries.) • A family history of aortic aneurysms. • Marfan syndrome may ca
