ABDOMINAL AORTIC-ANEURYSMS - GENETIC-FACT ORS

Abdominal aortic aneurysms have usually been characterized as atherosl cerotic, but this view of their pathogenesis is a restricted one. As y et, no unified concept of pathogenesis has emerged, but several factor s appear to have an important role, including familial clustering, gen etically determined and acquired biochemical alterations in the struct ural matrix of the aortic wall and hemodynamic mechanical factors. We review literature data concerning new pathogenic concepts of abdominal aortic aneurysms and particularly familial predisposition. Ultrasonog raphic screening is recommended in brothers (50 years) of patients wit h aneurysms of the abdominal aorta.