It's Wisdom Wednesday and Aortic Disease Awareness Month!

Today is Wisdom Wednesday with Aortic Hope!

👉It's Aortic Disease Awareness Month and today is about Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms. While not necessarily as life-threatening or uncommon, AAAs (as commonly known) can still pose issues for the body. Check out the information titled:

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm is also called AAA.

The Mayo Clinic and their medical staff explain in detail information about AAAs:

🎈 "An abdominal aortic aneurysm is an enlarged area in the lower part of the major vessel that supplies blood to the body (aorta)...Depending on the size of the aneurysm and how fast it's growing, treatment varies from watchful waiting to emergency surgery."

👉SYMPTOMS: "Abdominal aortic aneurysms often grow slowly without noticeable symptoms, making them difficult to detect. Some aneurysms never rupture. Many start small and stay small. Others grow larger over time, sometimes quickly.

If you have an enlarging abdominal aortic aneurysm, you might notice:

Deep, constant pain in the belly area or side of the belly (abdomen)

Back pain

A pulse near the bellybutton"

Did you know that:

🌎 FAIRLY COMMON

Every year, 200,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA).

💔 A ruptured AAA is the 15th leading cause of death in the country, and the 10th leading cause of death in men older than 55.

📝 FAMILY HISTORY IS IMPORTANT

Aneurysms run in families. If a first-degree relative has had an AAA, you are 12 times more likely to develop an abdominal aortic aneurysm. Of patients in treatment to repair an AAA, 15–25% have a first-degree relative with the same type of aneurysm.

⭐ For more information about Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms (AAA) - Symptoms and causes, from the Mayo Clinic, please click on this link. (picture from the SVS)