title: [Medical treatment of aortic abdominal aneurysms. Outstanding questions].
abstract: The low mortality of programmed surgical treatment of aortic abdominal aneurysms (2-4%) contrasts with a high mortality of surgical treatment in case of rupture (70-90%). These data underline the benefit of a "prophylactic" surgical treatment of aortic abdominal aneurysms, even those of small size or in older patients. Recently, experimental models and results of a few clinical studies suggest that medical treatment with beta-adrenergic blocking agents may reduce the expansion rate of aortic abdominal aneurysms and thus lower the risk of rupture. Several questions remains open. Should beta-blocking agents be reserved for aneurysms more than 5 cm in diameter in patients with a contraindication for surgery, or on the contrary proposed for aneurysms less than 4 cm in diameter in patients still free of contraindications? What is the mode and delay of action for beta-blockers, their effect on modulating blood pressure and their contribution to the use of endoluminal prostheses? Controlled prospective trials enrolling a large number of patients are required to answer these questions.
authors.affiliation: Service de Médecine interne, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cacoub
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Tazi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gatel
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Koskas
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kieffer
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Godeau
mesh_terms: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000628:therapy*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D018450:Disease Progression; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists
vernacular_title: Traitement médical des anévrysmes de l'aorte abdominale. Questions en suspens.