Incidence of abdominal aortic aneurysms in patients with atheromatous arterial disease.

Seventy-three patients with atherosclerotic peripheral vascular disease underwent prospective evaluation of the abdominal aorta by both physical examination and ultrasonography. The objective was to find out the incidence of abdominal aortic aneurysms by these two methods. Early diagnosis may decrease the morbidity and mortality associated with the disease. Ultrasonography established an incidence of 9.6 percent, whereas physical examination only demonstrated a 2.6 percent incidence. We recommend that routine ultrasonographic examination be performed on patients with peripheral atherosclerotic vascular disease in order to demonstrate the presence or absence of abdominal aortic aneurysm.