Abdominal Aortic Aneurism

What Is an Abdominal Aortic Aneurism?

An abdominal aortic aneurism occurs in the main blood vessel responsible for providing blood throughout your body. This blood vessel is called the aorta. It travels through your body; from your heart down through the middle of your chest and your abdomen. An aortic aneurysm is an enlarged or engorged area in the aorta. An abdominal aortic aneurism occurs in the lower section of the aorta.

Because this blood vessel is so crucial to your body’s blood supply, if an aneurism were to burst, the ensuing bleeding could be life-threatening. If your doctor locates an aortic aneurism, he / she may opt to monitor it closely, as a surgery to repair this issue can be dangerous.

Some of the symptoms of an abdominal aortic aneurism:

• Back pain
• Deep pain in the abdomen / side of the abdomen
• Pulsing feeling near your belly button

Causes of Abdominal Aortic Aneurism

There are various factors that can contribute to the formation of an aortic aneurism, such as:

• Smoking / tobacco use
• High blood pressure / hypertension
• Genetics
• Blood vessel diseases affecting the aorta
• Atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries
• Trauma
• Infection in the aorta