title: Etiology of aortic aneurysm.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Division of Vascular Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
authors.forename: C K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Zarins
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Beygui