Study analyzes best approach for treating abdominal aortic aneurysms

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA)—a condition in which the large vessel that supplies blood to your abdomen, legs, and pelvis swells to over 50 percent its normal size—occurs in approximately 4 out of 100 adults. The risk increases with age, peaking after age 70. AAA is more common in men than women, and more common in smokers or former smokers than those who never smoked. If the aneurysm ruptures, most patients die before they even get to the hospital.