INCIDENCE OF ABDOMINAL AORTIC ANEURYSM IN CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE

Abstract

Background- Abdominal aortic aneurysm is a localized dilatation of the sub ‎diaphragmatic aorta. Rupture of the abdominal aortic aneurysm is the most frequent ‎and often fatal complication. Ruptures frequently appear in patients that are ‎asymptomatic. We are now considering screening the population at risk by means of ‎abdominal ultrasound. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of ‎aortic aneurysm in patients undergoing selective coronary angiography. We wanted to ‎evaluate the cost effectiveness of performing screening abdominal ultrasonography in ‎patients with coronary heart disease.<br />‎ Methods- In this cross-sectional study from 241 men above 54 years old, patients ‎underwent coronary angiography due to cardiac indications and then abdominal ‎ultrasonography was performed to detect abdominal aortic aneurysm.<br />‎ Results- Of all the evaluated patients, only two patients were afflicted by abdominal ‎aortic aneurysm. Both of these patients were older than 60 years old, diabetic and had ‎three-vessel disease.<br />‎ Conclusion- The prevalence of abdominal aortic aneurysm in coronary artery disease ‎in comparison with mentioned statistics is lower than expected. It is unlikely that ‎abdominal ultrasound would be cost effective as a screening method for every patient ‎with coronary artery disease, and sonographic evaluation must be limited to patients ‎at higher risk or those who are suspected of having abdominal aortic aneurysm by ‎clinical examination (Iranian Heart Journal 2003; 4 (2,3): 6-8).