Abdominal aortic aneurysm

An aneurysm can sound frightening before you know what the word means. According to my.clevelandclinic.org, an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is an enlargement or bulge in the part of your aorta that extends through your belly or abdomen.

The same source says AAAs occur in one to two percent of males over age 65, according to my.clevelandclinic.org.

Start with the simplest questions

Four questions explain what an AAA is, which kinds exist, how common it is, and who is most at risk.

• What is an abdominal aortic aneurysm?
• Which types of aortic aneurysms exist?
• How common are abdominal aortic aneurysms?
• Who is most at risk for an AAA?

Questions about why and what next

These three look at causes, prevention, and what can go wrong.

• What causes an abdominal aortic aneurysm?
• Can an AAA be prevented?
• What complications can an AAA cause?

The most involved questions

Finding and caring for an AAA involve a clinician, so they sit at the end.

• How is an AAA diagnosed?
• How is an AAA treated?

One easy next step

Start with the first question and take your time with it. Once the basic idea is clear, the rest of the list gets much easier to follow.

For wider reading, see the Society of Interventional Radiology on abdominal aortic aneurysm and IR treatment options and the NHLBI, NIH page on aortic aneurysm.