title: [Infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms].
abstract: The incidence of and mortality from ruptured infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) are increasing. Therefore, it is important to identify groups at high risk. Tobacco use, hypertension, a family history of AAA, and male sex are clinical risk factors for the development of an aneurysm. Chronic inflammation and enzymatic degradation of elastin and collagen constitute the prominent pathogenetic mechanism of infrarenal AAA. Intervals for surveillance depend on the aneurysm diameter, taking into account that AAA >5.5 cm should be referred to a vascular surgeon. Asymptomatic patients with an infrarenal AAA should be medically optimized before repair. Symptomatic aneurysms present with back, abdominal, or leg pain and require urgent surgical attention. Rupture of an AAA involves complete loss of aortic wall integrity and is a surgical emergency requiring immediate repair.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica, Scienze Cardiovascolari ed Immunologiche, Università degli Studi Federico II, Napoli. brevetti@unina.it
authors.forename: Gregorio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Brevetti
authors.forename: Eugenio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Laurenzano
authors.forename: Julieta Isabel
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: De Maio
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chiariello
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D001019:Aortic Rupture / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications; D015994:Incidence; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects