DEAR MAYO CLINIC: My 70-year-old father-in-law smoked for more than 30 years. I read that men who used to smoke should be screened for an abdominal aortic aneurysm. What does this screening involve? What would be done if he is found to have an aneurysm?
ANSWER: A number of factors can raise the risk of developing an abdominal aortic aneurysm. One of the most significant is tobacco use. In addition to the direct damaging effects that smoking has on arteries, smoking contributes to the buildup of fatty plaques in the arteries, and high blood pressure. Smoking also can cause an aneurysm to grow faster by damaging the wall of the aorta.
Other risk factors include a family history of abdominal aortic aneurysm; being male; and having atherosclerosis, which is a condition where fat and other substances build up in the lining of your blood vessels. The risk of an abdominal aortic aneurysm also goes up with age.
