Abdominal aortic aneurysm
Overview
An abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a swelling in the aorta, the artery that carries blood from the heart to the tummy (abdomen). Most aneurysms do not cause any problems, but they can be serious because there's a risk they could burst (rupture).
Symptoms
Abdominal aortic aneurysm often has no symptoms. You usually only find out you have one during anabdominal aortic aneurysm screening testor during tests for another condition. If an aneurysm gets bigger, you might sometimes notice: tummy or back paina pulsing feeling in your tummy
Causes
An abdominal aortic aneurysm happens when the main artery that carries blood from the heart to the tummy (the aorta) becomes weakened. It's not always clear what causes it, but some people have a higher chance of getting one. You’re more at risk if you: are male and aged 65 or oversmoke or used to smokehavehigh blood pressurehavehigh cholesterolhave a close relative who's had an abdominal aortic aneurysmhave coronary or peripheral artery disease (atherosclerosis)havechronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)have a condition such asMarfan syndrome Sometimes an abdominal aortic aneurysm can be caused by an infection, but this is rare.
Treatment
Treatment for an abdominal aortic aneurysm usually depends on how big it is and if you have symptoms. If it's small, lifestyle changes such as quitting smoking and eating healthily may be recommended to help stop it getting bigger. Sometimes you may need: medicines to lower your blood pressure and cholesterol level, which may help stop the aneurysm getting biggersurgery to reduce the risk of the aneurysm bursting - this may be done if your AAA is large (5.5cm or bigger), is quickly getting bigger or is painful Surgery has risks and side effects which your doctor or surgeon should discuss with you. Abdominal aortic aneurysms often get bigger over time. You'll usually need regular scans to see if it's getting bigger. If your aneurysm ruptures, you’ll need emergency surgery to treat it.
Prevention
Stop smoking; manage blood pressure; control cholesterol; healthy diet rich in fruits/vegetables; regular exercise; maintain healthy weight; limit alcohol.
When to see a doctor
See GP for: persistent tummy/back pain; pulsing lump in tummy. Men 65+ should have screening. Call 999 immediately for: sudden severe abdominal pain; struggling to breathe; pale/gray skin; loss of consciousness.