89 - Aortic aneurysm

Summary

Aortic aneurysm is a term that refers to any swelling of the aorta. Where this swelling is sufficient to have led to death this is recorded as the underlying cause.

See also Map 84 Heart attack and chronic heart disease, Map 98 Cerebrovascular disease and Map 108 Atherosclerosis.

Here there is a geographical gradient opposite to that seen in most of these pages. Rates are lowest in Scotland, rise as you move south, and peak in Kent. In between there are clusters of slight differences to what is otherwise a remarkably smooth pattern.

The aorta is the largest artery in the heart, originating in the left ventricle, going into the chest and then into the abdominal cavity. An aneurysm, or balloon-like bulge, can occur anywhere along the aorta. The swelling caused by aortic aneurysm may cause this blood vessel to rupture, resulting in severe pain, and a quick death.

The age–sex bar chart shows that this is a condition very rarely affecting people below the age of 60, and with more males than females being susceptible to this cause of death.

Aortic aneurysm is treated with surgery, preferably before the aorta actually ruptures. Controlling blood pressure and cholesterol, and not smoking, reduce the risk. However, given the apparent similarity of risk factors for aortic aneurysm and coronary heart disease it is striking that this map and the map of all cardiovascular deaths (Map 9) are so different.