Etiology of aortic aneurysm.
Inthe past three decades, the prevalence of aortic aneurysms has increased threefold. Incidence of aortic aneurysms increases with age and as the population ages, the prevalence increases. Population-based stud- ies have shown that 10% of men over the age of 70 have abdominal aortic aneurysms. After many years of research, the exact pathogenesis of degenerative aneurysms-the most common form of aneurysm-is still unknown, although a number of factors including genetic, protelytic enzymes, hemodynamics, inflammation, and infection have been implicated.
Zarins
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CK
Division of Vascular Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
Beygui
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RE