A thoracic aortic aneurysm is a bulge in the wall of the aorta, the main artery that carries blood from the heart to the rest of the body. This blood vessel is in the chest cavity. A ruptured TAA can cause extreme back or chest pain, difficulty breathing and potentially fatal bleeding. Aneurysms seldom have symptoms before they rupture, so screening is important for those who are at risk.
Risk factors
- Smoking
- High blood pressure and/or cholesterol
- Family history
- Arterial disease
- Advanced age
- Male gender
- Trauma to the chest