Abdominal aortic aneurysm (surveillance + rupture)
Encounter flow
12/12 authoredCanonical 12-phase frame with authored status for this dossier.
Frame
Differentiate stable surveillance vs symptomatic / ruptured emergency (SVS 2024; ESVS 2019)
phenotype assigned
Patient inputs (12)
Screening criteria + repair threshold + life expectancy (SVS 2024; ESVS 2019)
Repair threshold lower in women ~5.0 cm vs 5.5 cm (SVS 2024; ESC 2024)
Contrast planning; renal artery involvement (SVS 2024)
Definitive sizing + rupture/contained leak detection (SVS 2024; ESC 2024)
Permissive hypotension SBP 70-90 mmHg in suspected rupture (ESVS 2019)
Hemodynamic monitoring + tachycardia screen (SVS 2024)
Inflammatory / mycotic phenotype (ESVS 2019)
Mycotic AAA workup (ESVS 2019)
Strongest modifiable risk factor + smoking cessation (SVS 2024; ESVS 2019)
First-degree relative -> earlier screening (SVS 2024; ESVS 2019)
Marfan / EDS-vascular / Loeys-Dietz lower threshold (ESC 2024)
Screening + surveillance imaging (ESVS 2019; USPSTF 2019)
* = hard-required. Engine cannot meaningfully run until these are filled.
Severity triggers (6)
- informationallife_threateningrupture_or_symptomatic_intactPain + known AAA OR triad of pain + hypotension + pulsatile mass (SVS 2024)Trigger could not be auto-evaluated — needs clinician judgement.
- informationallife_threateningmycotic_aaaAAA + fever + elevated CRP + positive BC + FDG-PET avidity (SVS 2024)Trigger could not be auto-evaluated — needs clinician judgement.
- informationallife_threateningsuspected_in_unstable_patientKnown AAA + abdominal/back pain + hemodynamic instability (SVS 2024)Trigger could not be auto-evaluated — needs clinician judgement.
- informationalsevererapid_expansionAAA expansion >1 cm/year on serial imaging (SVS 2024)Trigger could not be auto-evaluated — needs clinician judgement.
- informationalsevereconnective_tissue_low_thresholdMarfan / Loeys-Dietz / vascular EDS with AAA (SVS 2024)Trigger could not be auto-evaluated — needs clinician judgement.
- informationalmoderateendoleak_post_evarSac expansion or persistent flow on post-EVAR imaging (SVS 2024)Trigger could not be auto-evaluated — needs clinician judgement.
Workflow calculators
Run this disease's risk and dosing calculators inline.
Recommended regimen
AAA — surveillance + medical optimization + repair (ESVS 2024 / NICE NG156 / SVS 2018)- atorvastatinfirst linehigh_intensity_statin40-80 mg • PO • once dailytriggers: AAA_with_concurrent_ASCVD_riskESVS 2019; SVS 2024 — statin reduces CV mortality in AAA; pleiotropic effect on aneurysm growth uncertainrxcui 83367
- aspirinfirst lineantiplatelet_COX181 mg • PO • once dailytriggers: AAA_with_atherosclerotic_diseaseCV mortality benefit; not aneurysm-specific (SVS 2024; ESC 2024)rxcui 1191
- lisinoprilfirst lineACE_inhibitor10-40 mg • PO • once dailytriggers: AAA_with_HTNBP control to <130/80 (SVS 2024); ACEi acceptable, no aneurysm-growth-specific evidencerxcui 29046
- losartanfirst lineARB50-100 mg • PO • once dailytriggers: ACEi_intolerant, connective_tissue_disorderMarfan benefit — COMPARE trial (Radonic EJCTS 2012); reasonable in CTD AAA (ESC 2024)rxcui 52175
outpatient playbook — drug actions (3)
- 1. high-intensity statin + ASArxcui 83367Atorvastatin 40-80 + ASA 81 • PO • dailytrigger: AAA + ASCVD-risk (SVS 2024)CV mortality benefit (SVS 2024; ESC 2024)
- 2. BP control to <130/80rxcui 29046Lisinopril 10-40 mg • PO • dailytrigger: HTN (SVS 2024)Primary modifier (SVS 2024)
- 3. smoking cessation pharmacotherapyVarenicline / NRT / bupropion • PO/transdermal • per agenttrigger: Active smoker (SVS 2024)Strongest modifiable risk factor (SVS 2024; ESVS 2019)
Auto-drafted A&P note
outpatientSubjective
- Possible entry pathways: Pulsatile abdominal mass on exam (SVS 2024); Abdominal/back pain + hypotension/syncope — rupture suspicion (ESVS 2019; SVS 2024); US/CT showing infrarenal aorta >=3.0 cm (SVS 2024; ESVS 2019).
Objective
- No vitals, labs, or imaging entered for this encounter.
Assessment
**Abdominal aortic aneurysm (surveillance + rupture)** (vasc.aaa.v1). Phenotype framing: Infrarenal vs juxtarenal vs thoracoabdominal; saccular vs fusiform; mycotic vs inflammatory vs degenerative (SVS 2024; ESC 2024) Scope: Differentiate stable surveillance vs symptomatic / ruptured emergency (SVS 2024; ESVS 2019) No severity triggers fired against current inputs.
Plan
Regimen axis: **AAA — surveillance + medical optimization + repair (ESVS 2024 / NICE NG156 / SVS 2018)** — step "Step 1 — Surveillance for small AAA + medical risk-factor optimization". 1. atorvastatin 40-80 mg PO once daily (high_intensity_statin, first line) — ESVS 2019; SVS 2024 — statin reduces CV mortality in AAA; pleiotropic effect on aneurysm growth uncertain 2. aspirin 81 mg PO once daily (antiplatelet_COX1, first line) — CV mortality benefit; not aneurysm-specific (SVS 2024; ESC 2024) 3. lisinopril 10-40 mg PO once daily (ACE_inhibitor, first line) — BP control to <130/80 (SVS 2024); ACEi acceptable, no aneurysm-growth-specific evidence 4. losartan 50-100 mg PO once daily (ARB, first line) — Marfan benefit — COMPARE trial (Radonic EJCTS 2012); reasonable in CTD AAA (ESC 2024) Setting playbook (outpatient) — Surveillance interval per size; aggressive risk-factor modification; refer for repair when threshold reached (SVS 2024) 5. high-intensity statin + ASA Atorvastatin 40-80 + ASA 81 PO daily — AAA + ASCVD-risk (SVS 2024) (CV mortality benefit (SVS 2024; ESC 2024)) 6. BP control to <130/80 Lisinopril 10-40 mg PO daily — HTN (SVS 2024) (Primary modifier (SVS 2024)) 7. smoking cessation pharmacotherapy Varenicline / NRT / bupropion PO/transdermal per agent — Active smoker (SVS 2024) (Strongest modifiable risk factor (SVS 2024; ESVS 2019)) Non-pharmacologic actions: - Smoking cessation counselling (SVS 2024) - Aerobic exercise (no maximal Valsalva) (SVS 2024) - AAA-screen first-degree relatives age 65+ (SVS 2024) - Vascular surgery referral when threshold reached (SVS 2024) AVOID / contraindication checks: - Beta_blocker_AVOID_acute_rupture_no_evidence_for_growth_reduction (SVS 2024) - Permissive_hypotension_only_in_rupture (SVS 2024) - Nephrotoxin_avoid_pre_imaging_with_contrast (SVS 2024) - DAPT_post_EVAR_per_institutional_protocol (SVS 2024)
Monitoring
Regimen monitoring: - aortic US q3 yrs for 3.0-3.9cm men (SVS 2024) - aortic US q1 yr for 4.0-4.9cm men (SVS 2024) - aortic US q3-6 mo for 4.5-5.4cm men (SVS 2024) - CTA or duplex post EVAR at 1 6 12 mo then annually (SVS 2024) - CRP + BC in inflammatory phenotype (SVS 2024) - BP <130/80 (SVS 2024) - lipid panel to LDL <70 (SVS 2024) Setting (outpatient) monitoring: - US per interval (SVS 2024) - BP at each visit (SVS 2024) - Lipid annually (SVS 2024) Follow-up plan: Long-term smoking cessation; BP and statin optimization; family screening recommendations (SVS 2024; ESC 2024) - Close-out criterion: long-term plan in place Monitoring phase: Surveillance interval by size (ESVS 2019; SVS 2024); post-EVAR endoleak surveillance — CT/duplex 1, 6, 12 mo then annual (SVS 2024); post-open follow-up
Disposition
Current setting: outpatient — Surveillance interval per size; aggressive risk-factor modification; refer for repair when threshold reached (SVS 2024) Disposition criteria: - Stable surveillance → routine vascular clinic (SVS 2024) - Threshold reached → repair referral (SVS 2024) Escalation triggers (move to higher acuity): - New abdominal/back pain → ED rupture rule-out (SVS 2024) - Rapid expansion >1 cm/y → vascular surgery for early repair (SVS 2024) - New connective tissue features → genetic / vascular consult (SVS 2024)
Earlier-Return Triggers
Return-precaution thresholds (watch for): - [LIFE_THREATENING] Pain + known AAA OR triad of pain + hypotension + pulsatile mass (SVS 2024) - [LIFE_THREATENING] AAA + fever + elevated CRP + positive BC + FDG-PET avidity (SVS 2024) - [LIFE_THREATENING] Known AAA + abdominal/back pain + hemodynamic instability (SVS 2024)
Citations
- ESVS 2024 (Wanhainen et al, Eur J Vasc Endovasc Surg 2024) + NICE NG156 + SVS 2018 + 2022 ACC/AHA Aortic + 2024 ESC PAD/Aortic [PMID:29766750](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29766750/) - Cited evidence (PMID 23900119) [PMID:23900119](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23900119/) Last reconciled with current guidelines: 2026-04-08.
- ESVS 2024 (Wanhainen et al, Eur J Vasc Endovasc Surg 2024) + NICE NG156 + SVS 2018 + 2022 ACC/AHA Aortic + 2024 ESC PAD/Aortic — PMID:29766750
- Cited evidence (PMID 23900119) — PMID:23900119