Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms in Familial Hypercholesterolemia—Case Reports

Abstract

Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a genetic disease characterized by high serum cholesterol levels and premature coronary atherosclerosis. Hyper cholesterolemia is one of the factors promoting the arteriosclerotic process and is a major cause of aortic aneurysm. Few data are available, however, about abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) in patients with FH. In this study, the clini cal and angiographic characteristics of AAAs found in patients with FH were investigated. Thirty-one cases (23 men, 8 women, aged fifty ± fourteen years) were examined by coronary angiography, thoracic and abdominal aortography, and clinical data. Abdominal aortography detected abdominal aneurysms in 8 cases (26%), all of whom were men, including 4 cases (50%) that were compli cated by diabetes mellitus. The abdominal aneurysm patients manifested severe coronary atherosclerosis, severe abdominal aortic irregularity, and higher blood pressure than the nonaneurysm FH patients. These findings suggest that AAAs are an important and prevalent feature in FH, especially in men with diabetes mellitus and high blood pressure.