Pathophysiology of abdominal aortic aneurysm relevant to improvements in patients' management

Abstract

Purpose of review: Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is being diagnosed more frequently in older patients due to the increased use of abdominal imaging and the rising average age of western populations. Currently the management of this condition has two important deficiencies: inadequate methods to identify AAAs at risk of progression and rupture and the current lack of effective nonsurgical therapies. In this review recent developments in identifying new diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic strategies for AAA are discussed.

Recent findings: There are growing number of animal and human association studies which have identified markers and strategies of potential value in improving identification, monitoring and treatment of AAA.

Summary: Selective large prospective imaging, biomarker and intervention studies are now required to clearly demonstrate the value of new management pathways for AAA.