Diseases of the Aorta

The aorta, the largest artery in the body, may be affected by numerous conditions affecting the structure, integrity, and function of this vital structure. Degenerative aortic disease most commonly affects the abdominal aorta, but may involve the thoracic aorta, and leads to aneurysms and complications of atherosclerosis. Thoracic aortic disease encompass aneurysms due to multiple conditions including genetic aortopathies, both syndromic (like Marfan, Loeys-Dietz, vascular Ehlers-Danlos) and nonsyndromic disease due to an increasing number of genetic variants, congenital conditions, inflammatory and infectious aortitis, and aortic dissection. Research into mechanisms of aortic aneurysm and aortic dissection has provided insight into potential novel therapies, and genetic testing has allowed identification of at-risk individuals and family members. Advances in medical, endovascular, and surgical therapy has reduced the morbidity and mortality of these conditions and has improved the duration and quality of life for those with aortic disease.