Screening for abdominal aortic aneurysms in Canada: 2020 review and position statement of the Canadian Society for Vascular Surgery
Varun Kapila, Prasad Jetty, D L Wooster, Vic Vucemilo, Luc Dubois
Abstract
Screening for abdominal aortic aneurysms in Canada: 2020 review and position statement of the Canadian Society for Vascular Surgery A n abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) occurs when the abdominal aorta is more than 3 cm in maximal diameter, about 1.5 times larger than normal. The development of AAAs is associated with tradi tional cardiovascular risk factors, such as smoking, age, male sex, hypercho lesterolemia and family history. As the aorta expands beyond its normal size, the risk of aortic rupture increases. Rupture is often fatal, with more than 80% of all patients with ruptured AAAs dying, many before hospital admission or even after emergent surgery. These aneurysms are often asymptomatic and therefore underdiagnosed, with symptoms occurring only once the aneurysm has ruptured or immedi ately before rupture.