Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm - Guidelines

Guidelines

Guidelines were issued in March 2010 for diagnosis and management of thoracic aortic disease, by the American College of Cardiology, the American Heart Association, and other groups. Among the recommendations:

• First-degree relatives of people with thoracic aortic aneurysm or dissection should have aortic imaging to identify asymptomatic disease.
• People with symptoms suggestive of thoracic aortic dissection should be routinely evaluated "to establish a pretest risk of disease that can then be used to guide diagnostic decisions."
• People diagnosed with Marfan syndrome should immediately have an echocardiogram to measure the aorta, and followed up 6 months later to check for aortic enlargement.