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What happens if I do nothing with an Aortic Aneurysm

What is an Aortic Aneurysm?
An aortic aneurysm is a swelling of the primary artery in the abdomen that carries blood from the heart to the internal organs and legs. Many aortic aneurysms cause no symptoms and are found during a routine examination or screening for other conditions. An aortic aneurysm can usually be diagnosed manually by an experienced physician. A diagnosis can be confirmed and evaluated by an ultrasound or CT scan.

Your Physician Has Found an Aortic Aneurism, Now What?
If your doctor has found an aortic aneurysm during the course of a routine examination, he or she will probably refer you to a cardiologist who can suggest additional tests to determine the size and extent of your aortic aneurysm and plan a course of treatment.

If you have been diagnosed with an aortic aneurysm, doing nothing puts you at risk of a life threatening aortic rupture. Rupture of an aortic aneurysm can cause severe pain, heavy bleeding in the abdomen and death. Current medical information tells us that most patients do not survive an aortic rupture. Thorough evaluation of the extent and size of your aneurysm by your cardiologist will help you make meaningful, informed choices about how to manage your aortic aneurysm.

The definitive treatment for an aortic aneurysm is surgical or endovascular repair. Your cardiologist will evaluate the risks of surgical intervention against careful monitoring to help determine the best course of treatment.

The course of treatment is generally determined by the size of the aneurysm, though the rate of growth may be a factor. For small aortic aneurysms, careful monitoring by your cardiologist is recommended. Surgical repair of an aortic aneurysm can prevent an emergency situation caused by a rupture. Once an aortic aneurysm ruptures, only one in ten people survive this serious complication. The goal of surgical intervention is to prevent rupture and life-threatening complications.

If you have been diagnosed with an aortic aneurysm, it is critical that you seek professional medical advice to help you avoid the life-threatening complications and death.