What it is
An aortic aneurysm is a balloon-like bulge in the aorta, the main artery carrying blood from the heart to the body. The abdominal type is the most common. It can grow without any symptoms, and a large one can burst.[1]
Weakened artery walls let blood pressure push the wall outward. Abdominal aortic aneurysms are most common after 65 and in men; smoking is one of the main risk factors and makes them grow faster and more likely to burst.[1][2]
USPSTF recommends one-time ultrasonography screening for men aged 65–75 who have ever smoked (100 or more cigarettes; grade B) and selective screening for men 65–75 who never smoked (grade C).[3] Repair is by open surgical graft or endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR); risk-factor control and smoking cessation slow growth.[4]
See the abdominal aorta running down in front of the spine.
See it in 3DHow common it is
Causes and risk factors
Things you can't change
Things you can change
Symptoms worth reporting to a doctor
- Often none
- A pulsing or throbbing feeling in the belly
- Pain in the belly or back
Aneurysms can grow without causing symptoms, which is why screening matters.[1][5]
Get urgent care if…
Screening: who, when and how
USPSTF: one-time ultrasound for men aged 65–75 who have ever smoked (grade B); for men 65–75 who never smoked, clinicians may selectively offer it (grade C). 'Ever smoked' usually means 100 or more cigarettes in a lifetime.[3]
How it's diagnosed
Types of treatment
- Lifestyle and medicines. Quitting smoking is the most important step to slow growth; blood pressure and cholesterol medicines may be used.[4]
- Open repair. The weakened section is replaced with a graft.[4]
- Endovascular repair (EVAR). A stent graft is placed from inside the artery through a catheter.[4]
Which option fits depends on the details of each person’s situation. Your care team decides with you.
What you can do
Questions to ask your doctor
- Should I have an AAA ultrasound?
- If I have an aneurysm, how big is it and how often should it be checked?
- At what size would repair be recommended?
- Should my brothers or children be screened?
Myth vs. fact
Related topics
Heart disease and heart attack
The leading cause of death for men in the US. Most of it comes from narrowed coronary arteries — and much of it can be prevented.
High blood pressure
Half of US men have it, and most people feel nothing. A simple check finds it; habits and medicines control it.
Lung cancer
By far the leading cause of cancer death in the US. Smoking causes most of it — and a yearly low-dose CT scan can find it early in people at high risk.
Sources
- NIH National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Aortic Aneurysm. Checked 24 October 2026.
- NIH National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Aortic Aneurysm: Causes and Risk Factors. Checked 24 October 2026.
- US Preventive Services Task Force. Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm: Screening (December 2019). Checked 23 October 2026.
- NIH National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Aortic Aneurysm: Treatment. Checked 24 October 2026.
- NIH National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Aortic Aneurysm: Symptoms. Checked 24 October 2026.
The owner of this website is not a doctor. Human Atlas provides educational anatomy information and does not diagnose, stage, or treat disease. Talk to a qualified clinician about anything concerning your own health.