Risk Factors for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Events in Women

Experiencing a clinically important AAA event was significantly associated with age, greater height, smoking, hypertension, coronary artery disease, peripheral artery disease, and use of cholesterol-lowering drugs.

Most studies of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) have focused on men; thus, little is known about risk factors for AAA in women. In a prospective observational study involving nearly 162,000 women (age range, 50–79) enrolled in the Women’s Health Initiative, investigators assessed the associations between potential risk factors and subsequent clinically important AAA events (rupture and repair).

During a mean follow-up of 7.8 years, 184 women experienced AAA events; 14 of them died within 5 days of the event. Multivariate analysis revealed that experiencing a clinically important AAA event was significantly associated with age, greater height, smoking, hypertension, coronary artery disease, peripheral artery disease, and use of cholesterol-lo…

Reviewing Author

Paul S. Mueller, MD, MPH, FACP

Disclosures

Nothing to disclose

Paul S. Mueller, MD, MPH, FACP

Disclosures

Nothing to disclose