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Coronary artery aneurysms: a review of the natural history, pathophysiology, and management

Paul Cohen1, Patrick T O'Gara

  • 1Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA. pcohen3@partners.org

Cardiology in Review
|October 17, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Coronary artery aneurysms are dilations of heart arteries, often found incidentally. This review covers their causes, natural history, and treatments, highlighting key unanswered questions.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Vascular Medicine

Background:

  • Coronary artery aneurysms (CAAs) are abnormal dilations of coronary arteries.
  • They are often incidentally discovered during coronary angiography.
  • Epidemiology and natural history have been described in clinical series.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the current knowledge on coronary artery aneurysms.
  • To highlight unresolved questions regarding CAAs.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of clinical series and studies on coronary artery aneurysms.
  • Synthesis of information on epidemiology, etiology, natural history, and treatment.

Main Results:

  • Atherosclerotic coronary artery disease is the most common cause of CAAs.
  • Other causes include congenital factors, inflammatory disorders, and connective tissue diseases.
  • Kawasaki disease has a known association with CAAs.

Conclusions:

  • Treatment options for CAAs include surgical, percutaneous, and medical interventions.
  • Further research is needed to address important unresolved questions regarding CAAs.

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