1/ Ever wonder: Why are abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) more common than thoracic aortic aneurysms (TAAs)? I have! Follow this thread to see how the answer to this question makes use of long-forgotten medical classes. And there’ll be an appearance by The Great Mimicker.
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2/ First, let’s confirm that AAAs are more common than TAAs. Here’s the breakdown of discharges/year: AAA: 63% TAA: 26% Thoracoabdominal: 8% Unspecified: 3% circ.ahajournals.org/content/121/13…
3/ What explains this difference? Does it have to do with differences in blood pressure or blood flow experienced at each segment of the aorta? Or, are there differences in anatomy?