Pulsing sensation in your belly, like a heartbeat.Back, leg or abdominal pain that doesn’t go away.Most people with AAA don’t have any symptoms until the aneurysm is close to rupturing. What are the symptoms of an abdominal aortic aneurysm? These conditions more commonly affect the aorta in the chest but also the abdominal aorta. Some genetic diseases that affect connective tissues, such as Marfan syndrome or Ehlers Danlos type IV, can also cause blood vessel weakness or damage. Research suggests AAA may also relate to genes you inherit from your parents. Vasculitis (blood vessel inflammation).Tobacco use causes loss of structural proteins in the artery wall, leading to reduced wall strength.Traumatic injuries that cause tears in the artery wall.Atherosclerosis (plaque buildup inside your arteries).The following diseases can damage your blood vessel walls or cause weak spots where aneurysms might develop: What causes an abdominal aortic aneurysm? It’s the 10th leading cause of death in men over 55. Healthcare providers diagnose about 200,000 people in the U.S. How common are abdominal aortic aneurysms?ĪAA is a common condition. Family history of AAA (if a parent or sibling has had an AAA, you’re twice as likely to develop the condition).Personal history of an aneurysm in another site, especially in your lower extremities.Smoking (90% of people with AAA have a history of smoking, so you’re still at risk even if you’ve quit).White men over 65 are the most likely to get AAA.
From there, it splits into separate arteries that take blood to your legs and feet. It travels through your chest, where it’s called the thoracic aorta, and into your abdomen, where it’s called the abdominal aorta. It carries oxygen-rich blood away from your heart to the rest of your body. Your aorta is the large artery at the end of your heart’s aortic valve. Sometimes people call AAA a stomach aneurysm. The aneurysm is a weak spot in the blood vessel wall, at risk for rupturing (breaking open) and causing a hemorrhage (severe bleeding). It’s a bulge in the main artery that supplies blood to your belly, pelvis and legs. An abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a potentially life-threatening condition.