The prevalence of thoracic aorta aneurysm as an important cardiovascular disease in the general population

BACKGROUND: The aorta is the largest and main artery in the body. The enlargement of the aortic diameter known as ectasia results in aneurysm. Thoracic aorta aneurysm can involve one or more segments of the aorta. Non-invasive imaging techniques play an important role in identifying patients, estimating maximal aneurysm diameter, following up patients, and detecting complications. So, this study was performed to estimate the prevalence of ascending thoracic aorta aneurysm in the general population of Iran. METHODS: People with an abnormal aortic size (˃ 36 mm) were enrolled and subjected to diagnostic tests, and related risk factors were assessed. RESULT: Of the 3400 people examined, 410 (12%) had abnormal aorta sizes, and 42 (1.2%) had ascending aorta aneurysm. Out of the 410 patients with elevated aorta size, 235 (57%) were males, and 175 (43%) were females. Overall, 229 patients (56%) had hypertension, and 255 (62%) were over 60 years old. CONCLUSION: In this study, we showed that the prevalence of ascending aorta aneurysm in the general population of Iran was about 1.2%. Ascending aorta aneurysm is a threatening pathology of the aorta. The high prevalence of hypertension may explain the high incidence of aneurysm in our studied population. Therefore, it is necessary to implement an accurate screening plan to identify patients with hypertension and provide appropriate treatment and adequate follow up to patients. Patients with ascending aorta aneurysm are also recommended to modify their lifestyles.