Diseases of the Aorta and Arterial Tree in the Elderly

Diseases of the aorta and arterial tree in the elderly are common and most often are complications of atherosclerosis. These conditions frequently are potent markers of severe coronary artery disease and should prompt careful cardiac evaluation. When a single pathologic disease is present, clinical manifestations are diverse and depend on the particular expression of atherosclerosis—aneurysm formation, stenosis, and occlusion or embolism—and on its specific anatomic location thoracic aorta and its cervical and intracranial branches or abdominal aorta and its visceral and extremity branches.