Archive for November 14th, 2008

American Family Physician - Can ACE inhibitors prevent aortic aneurysm rupture?

Friday, November 14th, 2008

Up to 8 percent of men older than 50 years develop aortic aneurysms. Without treatment, approximately one third of aneurysms rupture, and one half of these patients die before admission to the hospital. The total mortality rate after rupture is 80 to 90 percent. The mortality rate of elective repair of aneurysms before rupture is approximately 5 percent, and the overall complication rate is around 32 percent. The risk of developing aortic aneurysm or other cardiovascular abnormalities has be…