ABDOMINAL AORTIC ANEURYSM

Course overview

AN ABDOMINAL AORTIC ANEURYSM IS A LIFE-THREATENING CONDITION THAT REQUIRES MONITORING OR TREATMENT DEPENDING ON THE SIZE OF THE ANEURYSM AND/OR SYMPTOMATOLOGY. AN ABDOMINAL AORTIC ANEURYSM MAY BE DETECTED INCIDENTALLY OR AT RUPTURE TIME. AN ARTERIAL ANEURYSM IS DEFINED AS A PERMANENT LOCALIZED DILATATION OF THE VESSEL BY AT LEAST 150% COMPARED TO A RELATIVELY NORMAL ADJACENT DIAMETER OF THAT ARTERY. RISK FACTORS FOR AAA INCLUDE ATHEROSCLEROSIS (MOST COMMON), SMOKING, ADVANCED AGE, MALE GENDER, WHITE RACE, FAMILY HISTORY OF AAA, HYPERTENSION, HYPERCHOLESTEROLEMIA, AND PRIOR HISTORY OF AORTIC DISSECTION. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT OF ABDOMINAL AORTIC ANEURYSMS AND THE NEED FOR AN INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM APPROACH TO IMPROVE THE RECOGNITION OF ABDOMINAL AORTIC ANEURYSMS AND ENHANCE PATIENT OUTCOMES.