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Through a series of prompts, the ChristianaCare COUGH & COLD LINE will provide helpful info on how best to manage your cold, flu and COVID-19 symptoms at home. We’ll also guide you on when you should seek care.

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Vascular Health

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

A swelling or bulge in the wall of a blood vessel

About Symptoms FAQ Consultations

About Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms

An aneurysm is a swelling or bulge in the wall of a blood vessel. As the name implies, an abdominal aortic aneurysm is one that occurs in the lower part of the body’s main artery — the aorta.

Because the aorta is the largest blood vessel in the body, a ruptured aneurysm can be life-threatening. But some stay small and never get worse, so treatment can vary widely from routine checkups to emergency surgery.

Regardless of the size or severity, they’re important to monitor and treat to ensure that they don’t result in a dire situation.

What are the Symptoms of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms?

Many don’t actually have any symptoms at all, which makes them difficult to detect. When symptoms do occur, they can include:

Deep pain in the belly area.
Back pain.
Feeling your pulse near your bellybutton.

Abdominal aortic aneurysms occur in about 1.4% of adults aged 50 to 84 in the U.S.

That’s around 1.1 million people. They’re about 4 times more common in men but have a higher chance of rupturing at smaller sizes when they occur in women.

Frequently Asked Questions

The aorta runs through a significant length of the body, and an aneurysm can develop at any point. Most occur in the belly area (abdomen). This can be caused by other medical conditions including:

Atherosclerosis is a hardening of the arteries caused by buildup of fat and other substances.
High blood pressure can weaken the aortic walls.
Blood vessel diseases can cause the blood vessels to become inflamed.
Infection in the aorta is rare, but can cause an aneurysm.
Trauma from a physical injury can also cause an aneurysm.

Certain factors can increase your likelihood of developing these conditions. In turn, this increases your risk for an abdominal aortic aneurysm. These factors include:

Age: Especially those 65 or older.
Sex: Men are most at risk.
Ethnicity: White people are at a higher risk.
Family history: As with many conditions, a family history increases your risk.
Prior aneurysms: If you’ve already had an aneurysm in the chest or another large blood vessel, your risk of an abdominal aortic aneurysm may increase.
Tobacco use: This is the biggest risk factor of all. Smoking weakens blood vessel walls, and the longer you do it, the more damage it causes. Over time, this continues to increase your risk. Male current or former smokers age 65-75 should have an ultrasound screening for an abdominal aortic aneurysm.

Your health care provider can prescribe medications to help lower your blood pressure and reduce your risk.

In short, yes. They can cause a tear in the aortic wall (called an aortic dissection) or can even rupture. A rupture can cause life-threatening internal bleeding. This is more likely in aneurysms that are larger and have grown faster. They also increase your risk of developing blood clots in the affected area.

Symptoms of a ruptured aortic aneurysm can include sudden ripping or tearing pain in the belly or back, low blood pressure, or fast pulse.

Symptoms are rare, so they’re usually discovered when screening for other conditions. If your provider suspects you do have one, they may perform other tests to make sure.

Patients at higher risk are usually recommended to have an ultrasound. If this test discovers an abdominal aortic aneurysm, you’ll have additional screenings every 6-12 months to monitor its growth progress.

Smaller aneurysms may not need serious treatment, and only require frequent monitoring to ensure they don’t get worse. Larger or faster-growing ones could require surgery to treat them. More on both options below.

Surveillance

When an aneurysm is small enough and hasn’t caused any symptoms, your provider will recommend ongoing surveillance using ultrasound or CT scan. They may also put you on a medication and behavioral regimen to help manage blood pressure, cholesterol, and overall risk.

Surgery

Aneurysms require surgery if they are a) over a certain size, or; b) causing symptoms, no matter their size. The goal of surgery is to lower your risk of an aneurysm rupture by replacing a section of the aorta, or grafting a new lining into the affected section of aorta.

Traditional methods require open surgery, but doctors widely prefer new minimally invasive techniques. These offer quicker, less painful recoveries and lower risk of complications after surgery. Each method has its benefits, and your provider can fill you in and make a recommendation based on your particular case.

Note: ruptured aneurysms are a medical emergency and require immediate surgery.

Since aneurysms are caused by other conditions, prevention methods are the same as those recommended to avoid heart & vascular disease in general.

They aren’t necessarily difficult, but do require commitment from you, the patient. Your provider can help you craft a plan that’s realistic yet effective for your lifestyle.

Healthy diet. Specifically, one that’s high in variety of fruits and vegetables, and low in trans fats and salt.
Regular exercise. Your provider can help you work up to a manageable regimen.
Watch blood pressure and cholesterol levels. This may include use of medications.
Avoid tobacco. This includes secondhand smoke. We know quitting is difficult, so if you need help, your provider can connect you with trusted resources.

Though it requires some diligence on your part, it’s very possible to live a comfortable life with an abdominal aortic aneurysm. You’ll need to make sure you follow all the steps your provider has given to keep your condition from getting worse. Attend all appointments and follow-ups, take all prescribed medications, and make necessary lifestyle changes.

Note: Some patients who have had aneurysm repair surgery may require antibiotics before certain dental or medical procedures.

Most abdominal aortic aneurysms don’t have symptoms, and those that do are usually more serious. So, if you have any of the above symptoms, you should see your doctor right away. They’ll perform tests to determine if you have an aneurysm, and if you do, check how serious it is.

If you have signs of an aneurysm rupture, like sudden and severe belly or lower back pain, call 911 immediately.

Interested in a Consultation?

Speak with your primary care provider about your symptoms, and they may refer you. Or reach out to us directly and we’ll put you in touch with one of our vascular surgeons.

ChristianaCare Vascular Specialists

Center for Heart & Vascular Health
4755 Ogletown-Stanton Road
Suite 1E20
Newark, DE 19713

Get directions and find out more

Call 302-733-5700, prompt 2