Aneurysmal Disease
Type
ModificationConfidence
95%
Created
Mar 18, 2026
Evidence
2 sources
Rationale
The section was updated to include the most recent 2022 ACC/AHA guidelines for aortic disease, which provide critical updates on genetic screening and specific syndromes like Loeys-Dietz. The 2025 AHA statistics were used to provide the most current epidemiological context, replacing the need for the 2023 or 2024 versions which are superseded by the 2025 report.
Evidence
This guideline provides recommendations to guide clinicians in the diagnosis, genetic evaluation and family screening, medical therapy, endovascular and surgical treatment, and long-term surveillance of patients with aortic disease across its multiple clinical presentation subsets.
The Statistical Update represents a critical resource for the lay public, policymakers, media professionals, clinicians, health care administrators, researchers, health advocates, and others seeking the best available data on these factors and conditions.
Content Changes
Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA), and peripheral aneurysms (popliteal, visceral) develop due to degeneration of vascular wall connective tissue. Smoking is the most consistent modifiable risk factor for AAA, conferring a 5-fold increased risk [@sakalihasan2018]. Recent epidemiological data highlight the continued global burden of aortic disease, with significant variations in prevalence based on age and sex [@martin2025]. Familial clustering suggests genetic predisposition.predisposition, and current guidelines emphasize the importance of genetic screening in patients with thoracic aortic disease [@aha2022-isselbacher]. Connective tissue disorders such as MarfanMarfan, Loeys-Dietz, and Ehlers-Danlos syndromes are strongly associated with TAA and dissection [@rutherford2018].[@rutherford2018], [@aha2022-isselbacher]. > **See Also:** [[Aneurysmal Diseases|Ch. 4: Aneurysmal Diseases]] for detailed management of AAA, TAA, and peripheral aneurysms.