An AAA is a bulge in the aorta.

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) occurs when a weak area of the abdominal aorta – the largest artery in your body which supplies blood to the lower part of the body – expands or bulges like a balloon. Aneurysms can burst or rupture, causing massive internal bleeding, a situation that is usually fatal.
Symptoms. While many people with AAA feel no symptoms, those with symptoms describe them as:

• A pulsing feeling in the abdomen
• Severe, unexplained, sudden pain in the abdomen or lower back
• In rare cases, pain, discoloration or sores on the feet

Risk Factors. Those with the following criteria may be at an increased risk of AAA:

• Men older than 60 years of age
• Smokers
• Those with a family history of AAA
• Those with high blood pressure

Screening. Nearly 200,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with AAA each year. Of these, approximately 15,000 cases may be severe enough to cause death if not treated. Since there may not be symptoms, AAAs are often discovered through a screening. Creighton University Medical Center offers a screening for AAAs. Call 1-866-390-CUMC (2862) to schedule a screening.
Procedures. The Endovascular Program at Creighton University Medical Center offers stent grafts for abdominal aortic aneurysms. A stent graft is a fabric and metal tube placed inside the aorta at the site of the aneurysm. This stent graft strengthens the weakened aorta, allowing blood to flow through the area unimpeded.

Plaque blocks blood flow through the carotid artery.

Carotid Artery Disease (CAD) occurs when the carotid arteries – the major arteries in your neck supplying your brain with blood – become narrowed or blocked by fat and cholesterol (plaque). As plaque builds up, the carotid arteries become hardened, called atherosclerosis. This may decrease blood flow to the brain, increasing the risk of a stroke occurring.

Symptoms. CAD may not cause symptoms, or the first sign of CAD could be a stroke. Sometimes, transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) may be an early warning sign of a stroke. A TIA may last for a few minutes up to an hour.

Symptoms of a TIA include:

• Weakness and/or numbness of the arm, leg or face one side of the body
• Slurring of speech or difficulty understanding others
• Loss of vision in one eye
• Loss of coordination, dizziness or confusion
• Trouble swallowing

A stroke may have already occurred if the above symptoms last for more than a few hours or do not go away completely within 24 hours.
Risk Factors. While atherosclerosis causes most cases of carotid artery disease, it may be hard to pinpoint the exact cause of atherosclerosis. Experts believe that plaque may build up in the arteries due to an injury to the artery’s inner lining. Factors that may injure artery walls include:

• Smoking
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol

Other risk factors include:

• Diabetes
• Family history of atherosclerosis

Screening. Ten percent of adults age 80 to 89 are diagnosed with CAD annually. Since there may not be symptoms for carotid artery disease, it may be discovered through a screening. Creighton University Medical Center offers a screening for CAD. Call 1-866-390-CUMC (2862) to schedule a screening.
Procedures. The Endovascular Program at Creighton University Medical Center offers angioplasty and stenting for carotid artery disease. Carotid stenting is a procedure that helps prevent stroke caused by carotid artery disease. A vascular surgeon inserts a small metal-mesh tube, called a stent, into a patient’s carotid artery, which is located in his or her neck. Once in place, the mesh expands, increasing blood flow in the blocked areas. Balloon angioplasties are procedures in which a vascular surgeon inflates a small balloon inside a narrowed blood vessel, widening it to improve blood flow.

Plaque blocks blood flow to the legs.

Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) occurs when the arteries in the legs become blocked due to plaque. As plaque builds up, the carotid arteries become hardened, called atherosclerosis. The blockage causes a shortage of blood and oxygen in the legs, which may lead to the loss of limbs or a heart attack.

Symptoms. Nearly 75 percent of people with PAD do not experience symptoms, and women are less likely to have symptoms than men. In those cases that do exhibit symptoms, common symptoms are:

• Foot or calf pain
• Foot or toe wounds that do not heal
• Cold or blue feet

Risk Factors. Factors that may increase your chances of developing PAD include:

• Smoking
• Obesity
• Diabetes
• High blood pressure
• Physical inactivity
• High cholesterol or triglycerides
• High levels of homocysteine, an amino acid in your blood
• Family history of heart or vascular disease
• Age over 50

Screening. PAD affects 12 to 20 percent of Americans over age 65. Since there may not be symptoms for peripheral artery disease, it may be discovered through a screening. Creighton University Medical Center offers a screening for PAD. Call 1-866-390-CUMC (2862) to schedule a screening.
Procedures. The Endovascular Program at Creighton University Medical Center offers peripheral stenting and angioplasty for peripheral artery disease. Peripheral stenting increases blood flow in areas constricted by plaque. A stent is placed in the in blood vessels outside the heart and brain to increase blood flow. Balloon angioplasties are procedures in which a vascular surgeon inflates a small balloon inside a narrowed blood vessel, widening it to improve blood flow.