An abdominal aneurysm, also known as an abdominal aortic aneurysm, describes a weakening and bulging of the aorta. The aorta is a major blood vessel that connects directly to the heart and runs through the chest and abdomen before splitting up into other arteries that go down into the legs. According to the Mayo Clinic, the danger of an abdominal aortic aneurysm is that it may rupture, causing catastrophic internal bleeding. In fact, half of the people with a ruptured aortic aneurysm die before even getting to the hospital. Prevention of rupture is the main goal of treatment of abdominal aneurysms.
Step 1
Identify the aneurysm. The most common symptom is abdominal pain, according to the Massachusetts General Hospital Handbook of Internal Medicine. An ultrasound can be an inexpensive tool to use for either screening or diagnosis of abdominal aneurysms. When a physician suspects an abdominal aneurysm, he often also orders a CT scan to get a more exact picture of the abdomen.
Step 2
Start a diet and exercise program. Most small aneurysms can be treated by decreasing blood pressure. In cases of mildly elevated blood pressure, people can often lower it simply by eating a healthier diet with less fat and salt, and with regular exercise.
Step 3
Take an anti-hypertensive medication. Hypertension, the medical term for high blood pressure, can cause the abdominal aneurysm to rupture. If diet and exercise do not lower the blood pressure, physicians often prescribe anti-hypertensive medications. According to "Surgery" by Josef Fischer, medications from the drug class called beta blockers, which includes metoprolol and atenolol, are used to treat abdominal aneurysms.
Step 4
Proceed to surgery. Larger aneurysms have a higher likelihood of rupturing. Physicians start to consider surgery if the aneurysm grows to over 5.5cm or grows at more than 1/2cm in diameter per year, according to "Introduction to Surgery" by David Levien. The surgery to repair an abdominal aneurysm is risky, and most physicians prefer to operate only on people with a high risk of rupture.
References
- Mayo Clinic: Aortic Aneurysm
- "Surgery"; Josef Fischer; 2008
- "Massachusetts General Hospital Handbook of Internal Medicine"; Marc Sabatine; 2001
