title: Current evidence and prospects for medical treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms.
abstract: Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a potentially fatal condition with risk of rupture increasing as maximum AAA diameter increases. It is agreed upon that open surgical or endovascular treatment is indicated if maximum AAA diameter exceeds 5 to 5.5 cm. Continuing aneurysmal degeneration of aortoiliac arteries accounts for significant morbidity, especially in patients undergoing endovascular AAA repair. Purpose of this review is to give an overview of the current evidence of medical treatment of AAA and describe prospects ofpotential pharmacological approaches towards prevention of aneurysmal degeneration of small AAAs and to highlight possible adjunctive medical treatment approaches after open surgical or endovascular AAA therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Vascular Medicine, Swiss Cardiovascular Center, Inselspital, University of Bern, Switzerland. Nicolas.diehm@insel.ch
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Diehm
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schmidli
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dai-Do
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Baumgartner
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000628:therapy*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000639:trends; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine / Q000639:trends; D006728:Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D006728:Hormones; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors