Aneurysm Assessment Questionnaire

Questions Your Doctor May Ask - and Why!

During a consultation, your doctor will use various techniques to assess the symptom: Aneurysm. These will include a physical examination and possibly diagnostic tests. (Note: A physical exam is always done, diagnostic tests may or may not be performed depending on the suspected condition) Your doctor will ask several questions when assessing your condition. It is important to openly share any pertinent information to help your doctor make an accurate diagnosis.

It is also very important to bring an up-to-date list of all of your all medical conditions, medications including dosages, and names of numbers of any specialist you see.

Create your printable checklist by answering questions that your doctor may ask below:

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Have you experienced any chest pain?
Why: Chest pain can be a sign of a thoracic aortic aneurysm which is dissecting/splitting.
Can you please describe the pain for me?
Why: The pain felt with a dissecting thoracic aneurysm is extreme, sharp, may have a "tearing" quality, and may be felt moving towards the back in between the shoulder blades.
Have you felt light-headed, confused or lost consciousness at all?
Why: A dissecting thoracic aortic aneurysm can block off the arteries which supply your brain with blood, and so may cause you to lose consciousness or be confused.
Have you ever been diagnosed with ischemic heart disease, myocardial infarction, cerebrovascular accident/transient ischemic attack, or peripheral vascular disease?
Why: These are all conditions which can affect your blood vessels and may predispose you to suffering an aneurysm.
Have you ever had syphilis?
Why: This is a sexually transmitted disease which in its late stages can cause aneurysms.
Have you ever been diagnosed with tuberculosis or been in an area where it occurs?
Why: Tuberculosis can spread throughout your body, and may cause some specific aneurysms.
Have you noticed yourself not passing any urine (anuria), or passing it in much lower quantities?
Why: A dissecting aneurysm may block off the blood vessels which supply the kidneys, and so cause a form of acute renal failure.
Have you noticed any abdominal masses?
Why: An abdominal aneurysm may be felt as a mass between your bellybutton (umbilicus) and breastbone (sternum). It may be felt to increase in size over time, and it may be felt to have a pulse similar to that which can be felt in your wrist.
Have you noticed any changes in sensation or your control of movement in your body?
Why: A dissecting aneurysm may block off the blood supply to either one of the blood vessels supplying your brain, or it may block off the blood vessels which supply our spinal cord. If it blocks off the blood supply to one side of your brain then you may have decreased sensation and movement of one side of your body (hemiplegia), whereas if it blocks off the blood supply to your spinal cord then you may have decreased sensation and motor control for the lower half of your body (paraplegia).
Have you had any headache recently, and if so then can your describe it for me?
Why: A headache may be the result of an expanding cerebral or berry aneurysm. If one of these aneurysms has "burst" then you may feel as if you have been hit over the back of the head before having some disturbance of consciousness.
Have you suffered any abdominal pain?
Why: A ruptured or expanding abdominal aneurysm may result in abdominal pain, particularly that which is felt to move towards your back. Abdominal aneurysms which have not ruptured can be hard to detect clinically when they are still small. However it is important to remember that even small aneurysms are at risk of rupture (though the larger they are the more risk that they will rupture within 12months), and that the only symptom you may have to indicate its presence is vague abdominal pain or discomfort.
Have you noticed any change in your voice recently, such as increased hoarseness?
Why: The nerves which control the way we speak can be pushed upon by a thoracic aortic aneurysm, and thus cause changes in your voice. These changes can be quite subtle.
Have you recently had any difficulty breathing or shortness of breath?
Why: Dyspnea can be the result of compression of major airways by a thoracic aortic aneurysm.
Is there anyone else in your family that you know of who has had an aneurysm, Marfan's Syndrome or Ehlers Danlos Syndrome?
Why: There are some specific inheritable genetic disorders (such as Marfan's Syndrome, Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, and Berry Aneurysm) which can predispose you to aneurysms such as thoracic aortic aneurysms or cerebral aneurysms. These syndromes are the result of abnormal connective tissue formation. Additionally, there are many less defined conditions (such as heart disease and vascular disease) which can have an inheritable genetic component. Research is continuing into this area such that the exact genetics of these less defined inheritable conditions can be known and used clinically.
Have you ever been diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease?
Why: This is a renal condition which may predispose to thoracic and cerebral aortic aneurysms.
Have you ever been diagnosed with Turner's Syndrome?
Why: This is a chromosomal syndrome which occurs in women and may predispose to thoracic aortic aneurysm. The other features of this condition can include being of short stature, congenital heart disease, a webbed neck, ears which are set lower than usual, having more freckles than usual, and having several coffee-coloured patches of skin (cafe au lait spots).
Have you ever experienced any pain on your scalp which may have been associated with muscle aches?
Why: Giant Cell Arteritis is a vascular condition which is can be felt as scalp pain which is painful to touch (as opposed to usual headache). It may be experienced in up to a quarter of all sufferers with polymyalgia, and can be a cause of aneurysms.
Have you or anyone in your family ever been diagnosed with Takayasu Arteritis?
Why: This is a disease of some of the major blood vessels of the body, and can be result in aneurysms, episodes of loss of consciousness, sensory-motor deficits, transient visual disturbance, a lack of peripheral pulses and insufficient blood supply to your peripheries. It may run in families and tends to occur more in women of Asian decent.
Have you recently suffered any trauma to your chest or abdomen?
Why: Trauma can be cause of some types of aneurysm, as well as something called a "false aneurysm" (pseudoaneurysm). In a "false aneurysm" there is a large clot of blood around the blood vessel within its outermost layer; the "pipe" in the middle of the blood vessel is not larger than usual. However in a true aneurysm the entire blood vessel is dilated with the "pipe" in its centre being dilated as well.
Have you ever been diagnosed with high blood pressure?
Why: Hypertension is an important predisposing factor for the formation of aneurysms.
Do you, or have you ever smoked cigarettes?
Why: Cigarette smoke can predispose you to many different diseases, including heart disease and blood vessel diseases such as aneurysms.
Have you ever been diagnosed with emphysema, chronic bronchitis, or chronic obstructive airways disease?
Why: These are all chronic lung diseases which can contribute to the incidence of aneurysm.
Have you suffered any major infections recently?
Why: Some major infections can become widespread throughout your body and may cause a particular type of aneurysm (mycotic aneurysm).
Have you very recently begun to experience severe abdominal pain?
Why: An Abdominal Aneurysm can rupture, resulting in sudden severe pain which may feel as if it is moving towards your back or lower abdomen. As this is one of the largest and most vital blood vessels in the body, its rupture results in shock.

Conditions listing medical symptoms: Aneurysm:

The following list of conditions have 'Aneurysm' or similar listed as a symptom in our database. This computer-generated list may be inaccurate or incomplete. Always seek prompt professional medical advice about the cause of any symptom.

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Conditions listing medical complications: Aneurysm:

The following list of medical conditions have 'Aneurysm' or similar listed as a medical complication in our database.

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