Aneurysms
Causes
Risk factors for aneurysms include:
- Age and gender: some aneurysms, like those in the abdomen, are more common in older men. Aneurysms in the brain are more common in women after the age of 45.
- Family history: researchers suggest that genetic mutations may contribute to the development of aneurysms
- Smoking: both former and current smokers
- High blood pressure
- Atherosclerosis (buildup of fatty deposits, called plaque, inside the arteries) and high cholesterol
- Obesity
- Alcoholism
- Car accidents
- Chest trauma
- Prior aneurysms
Decreased risk of an abdominal aneurysm is associated with:
- Female gender
- Non-white race
- Diabetes
Last Updated August 2020