Treatment and Prevention
If the aneurysm is discovered while it is still small and there are no symptoms, your doctor will generally recommend a watch-and-wait approach. This includes repeat exams and scans every 6 to 12 months.
The treatment for a ruptured aneurysm is emergency surgery. The aneurysm is usually replaced with a synthetic graft or closed off with a clip. Treatment of a mycotic aneurysm involves taking antibiotics for a certain period of time, followed by removal of the aneurysm. Surgery is a lot safer if the aneurysm hasn't ruptured yet. If you're a man over 65 years of age and your family has a history of aneurysms or hemorrhagic stroke, you should ask for a screening scan.
Aneurysms under a certain size (their size depends on their location) rarely rupture. Abdominal aneurysms over 5.5 cm and thoracic aneurysms over 6 cm in diameter pose a real risk of rupture and are best treated surgically. Surgery to repair an aneurysm is major surgery and involves an incision. In some cases, surgeons have developed new techniques to close off the aneurysm without a large incision, by approaching them from the inside the artery (endovascular approach).
Screening for abdominal aortic aneurysm can be an effective way to help detect aneurysms early, especially for people who may be at risk (e.g., people with a history of smoking). If necessary, elective surgery can be performed to help prevent rupture of the aneurysm. Screening in men aged 65 to 74 years old can be effective to reduce the number of ruptures.
Whatever your genetic profile, you can reduce your risk of aneurysm and rupture by:
- eating dark green vegetables
- eating less salt
- exercising
- losing weight
- quitting smoking
- taking potassium supplements (if appropriate and recommended by your doctor)
The blood pressure-lowering medication propranolol* and other types of beta-blockers may reduce the risk of enlargement and rupture of detected aneurysms.
*All medications have both common (generic) and brand names. The brand name is what a specific manufacturer calls the product (e.g., Tylenol®). The common name is the medical name for the medication (e.g., acetaminophen). A medication may have many brand names, but only one common name. This article lists medications by their common names. For more information on brand names, speak with your doctor or pharmacist.
Glenn Gandelman, MD, MPH, FACC Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine at New York Medical College, and in private practice specializing in cardiovascular disease in Greenwich, CT. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.