![]() The aorta is the largest blood vessel in the body. If you suspect that you or someone in your care has had a ruptured aneurysm, call 999 immediately and ask for an ambulance. This is why the NHS AAA Screening Programme was introduced, so dangerously large aneurysms can be treated before they burst. In men, the pain can also radiate down into the scrotum.Ī ruptured aortic aneurysm is a medical emergency, and it’s important to get to hospital as soon as possible.Īround 80% of people with a rupture die before they reach hospital or don’t survive emergency surgery. If your aortic aneurysm ruptures, you will feel a sudden and severe pain in the middle or side of your abdomen. If you have any of the symptoms above, you should see your GP as soon as possible. a pulsating feeling in your stomach (abdomen), usually near your belly button, that's usually only noticeable when you touch it.Symptoms of an unruptured AAA may include: ![]() In most cases, an unruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) will cause no symptoms, unless it becomes particularly large. The best way to prevent getting an aneurysm – or reduce the risk of an aneurysm growing bigger and possibly rupturing – is to avoid anything that could damage your blood vessels, such as: You will also have the size of your aneurysm checked regularly with ultrasound scanning. They include medications to lower your cholesterol and blood pressure, and quitting smoking. If surgery is not advisable – or if you decide not to have it – there are a number of non-surgical treatments that can reduce the risk of an aneurysm rupturing. This is usually done with surgery to replace the weakened section of the blood vessel with a piece of synthetic tubing. If a large AAA is detected before it ruptures, most people will be advised to have treatment, to prevent it rupturing. This is also how an aneurysm will be diagnosed if your doctor suspects you have one. The screening test is an ultrasound scan, which allows the size of your abdominal aorta to be measured on a monitor. Diagnosing an AAAīecause AAAs usually cause no symptoms, they tend to be diagnosed either as a result of screening or during a routine examination – for example, if a GP notices a pulsating sensation in your abdomen. Having a family history of aortic aneurysms also means that you have an increased risk of developing one yourself. There are other risk factors you can do something about, including smoking and having high blood pressure and cholesterol level. It's not known exactly what causes the aortic wall to weaken, although increasing age and being male are known to be the biggest risk factors. If you suspect that you or someone else has had a ruptured aneurysm, call 999 immediately and ask for an ambulance. The most common symptom of a ruptured aortic aneurysm is sudden and severe pain in the abdomen. Around 8 out of 10 people with a rupture either die before they reach hospital or don’t survive surgery. However, if it becomes large, some people may develop a pain or a pulsating feeling in their abdomen (tummy) or persistent back pain.Īn AAA doesn’t usually pose a serious threat to health, but there’s a risk that a larger aneurysm could burst (rupture).Ī ruptured aneurysm can cause massive internal bleeding, which is usually fatal. In most cases, an AAA causes no noticeable symptoms. The test involves a simple ultrasound scan, which takes around 10-15 minutes. This is why all men are invited for a screening test when they turn 65. A rupture accounts for more than 1 in 50 of all deaths in this group. Although what causes this weakness is unclear, smoking and high blood pressure are thought to increase the risk of an aneurysm.ĪAAs are most common in men aged over 65. The bulging occurs when the wall of the aorta weakens. If a large aneurysm bursts, it causes huge internal bleeding and is usually fatal. Large aneurysms are rare, but can be very serious. ![]() However, it can swell to over 5.5cm – what doctors class as a large AAA. The abdominal aorta is the largest blood vessel in the body and is usually around 2cm wide – roughly the width of a garden hose. ![]() An abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a swelling (aneurysm) of the aorta – the main blood vessel that leads away from the heart, down through the abdomen to the rest of the body. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |