Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) - Theme from the E-Journal of Cardiology Practice

In cardiology the reputation of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) is at least as bad as that of myocardial infarctions and yet, for such a serious condition, it often goes unrecognised. AAA carries with it a high risk for regular and severe cardiovascular events and when rupture does set in, mortality is close to 50%. For these reasons the present series focuses on our current knowledge concerning AAA. We examine the different aspects of the disease, looking at its causes as well as the means for better detection. We explore different treatment choices, including conservative management, and consider surgical and endovascular aneurysm repair techniques with articles highlighting their different results, looking at the pros and cons of each approach. Hopefully, this series will help in better diagnosing the disease of AAA before severe complications can occur. 

D.L. Clement, Editor-in-chief, E-journal