title: Pathology, natural history and treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms.
abstract: With increasing age of the population and improvement of diagnostic tools, the incidence of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) has been rising steadily. Despite an improvement in operative and interventional treatment options, AAA is the cause of death in 1-3% of men over 65 years of age in industrial countries, mostly due to rupture [1]. Therefore, routine screening for AAA by ultrasonography has been postulated in the past: a 60 year old man with an abdominal aortic diameter of less than 3 cm has a life-time risk of developing AAA close to zero. However, routine screening has not been found to be cost effective. Despite of the results of two well-designed studies, the limits of AAA qualifying the patient for surgery or intervention in contrast to conservative treatment is still a matter of debate. The present review article summarizes the current knowledge of the pathology, incidence, risks, natural course as well as symptoms and current treatment strategies of AAA on the basis of the recent literature.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Zankl
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schumacher
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Krumsdorf
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Katus
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jahn
authors.forename: C P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Tiefenbacher
mesh_terms: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015994:Incidence; D008403:Mass Screening; D015995:Prevalence; D011480:Protease Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012307:Risk Factors; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013754:Tetracyclines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D011480:Protease Inhibitors; D013754:Tetracyclines