AAAs are a leading cause of death
worldwide, with increasing incidence
and prevalence. In the United States,
AAAs occur in an estimated 5%–7% of
the population older than 60 years of
age, often as an unrecognized disease
(2). With a high propensity for rupture,
AAAs are the 15th leading cause
of death overall in the United States (3)
and the 10th leading cause of death in
men older than age 55, with approximately
9,000 AAA-related deaths occurring
annually