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Diagnosis & Treatment

Aortic Aneurysm

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How is Aortic Disease Diagnosed?

Diagnosis

Your doctor may catch signs of an aortic aneurysm during a regular exam or tests for other reasons. If you are at high risk of developing the disease, your doctor may recommend regular screenings for aortic aneurysms. Unfortunately, many aortic aneurysms may not be diagnosed until after they have ruptured or developed an aortic dissection, as they do not cause symptoms before this.

If you are presenting with signs or symptoms of an aortic aneurysm, your doctor will first review your medical history and family history. Your physician may conduct one or more imaging tests to diagnose or confirm aortic aneurysms. These tests can help determine where an aneurysm is located, how severe it is, check how quickly it is growing, and give your doctor other information about the situation.

Imaging tests that may be used to diagnose aortic aneurysms include:

How are Aortic Aneurysms Treated?

Treatment

Depending on the location and severity of your aortic aneurysm, your doctor will recommend one or more treatment options.

Monitoring

If your aneurysm is small and is not causing symptoms, your provider may want to monitor the situation and keep tabs on how the aneurysm is growing (if at all). Usually, this would entail imaging tests done at regular intervals after diagnosis. Medical monitoring may be combined with the prescribing of medications to manage other conditions.

Surgery

For aortic aneurysms that are deemed large or fast-growing enough, your doctor may recommend surgery. They can also recommend surgery to help relieve symptoms or prevent a rupture/dissection.

A thoracic aortic aneurysm may be treated with open-chest surgery or thoracic endovascular aneurysm repair (TEVAR). If the aneurysm has ruptured or developed aortic dissection, this surgery may be emergency surgery. This type of procedure carries more risks than a planned surgery for aortic aneurysms and has a high chance of complications, which is why it’s important to try and diagnose and treat aortic aneurysms before they have a chance to rupture.

In open-chest surgery, a surgeon can operate to remove just the section of the aorta that has been damaged by the aneurysm, replacing the section of blood vessel with a synthetic graft. In cases where a thoracic aneurysm is located near the aortic root, the surgeon may also have to repair the aortic valve, or remove and replace the aortic valve if the valve is diseased.

In some situations of thoracic aneurysms and most abdominal aortic aneurysms, a surgeon may be able to use a less-invasive procedure to correct the issue. During TEVAR or Endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR), the doctor inserts a thin catheter into an artery in the leg and guides it toward the aorta. At the site of the aneurysm, the doctor will place a mesh graft to support the damaged tissue.

Medications

If your aortic aneurysm is deemed small or slow-growing enough not to operate on, your doctor may prescribe medication to lessen the chances that the aneurysm will rupture. These drugs may include beta-blockers, statins, and calcium channel blockers.

FAQs

FAQs

While researchers haven’t pinpointed exactly what causes an aortic aneurysm, they have linked several risk factors to a higher chance of developing one. These factors include high blood pressure, smoking, trauma to the aorta, and a family history of aortic aneurysms.

Many aortic aneurysms do not cause any symptoms unless they rupture or dissect. Sometimes they can cause chest or back pain, difficulty breathing, or a pulsating feeling. A rupture or dissection may feel like a sudden, sharp pain.

The prognosis is good if an aortic aneurysm is diagnosed and treated before it gets a chance to rupture or dissect. Ruptures, however, can be very dangerous and cause internal bleeding. Dissections are also life-threatening since they can lead to rupture or cause poor perfusion of organs. Emergency surgery is needed immediately in these cases, as a rupture can lead to death if not swiftly treated.

There is no way to prevent aortic aneurysms, but avoiding smoking and alcohol, eating a balanced diet, and maintaining a healthy weight can lower your risk of developing one.

The terms aortic disease and aortic aneurysm are used interchangeably, and both refer to the same condition.

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Trust NewYork-Presbyterian for Aortic Disease Treatment

NewYork-Presbyterian cardiac experts are some of the best in the world and have vast experience recognizing the symptoms of aortic aneurysms. Our doctors can manage your condition through comprehensive screenings and ensure swift, compassionate treatment based on your unique situation and lifestyle.