Epidemiological features of ruptured dissecting and saccular aortic aneurysms.

An analysis based upon necropsy figures has been made of the frequency of deaths with dissecting aneurysms and ruptured fusiform or saccular aortic aneurysms. More deaths from these conditions were found at necropsies conducted on people dying suddenly in the community than in those dying in hospital. Dissecting aneurysms were nearly all found to involve the thoracic segment of the aorta and were equally common in men and women whereas ruptured saccular and fusiform aneurysms were usually sited in the abdominal aorta and mainly occurred in men. There was also a clear seasonal variation in death rates with ruptured and dissecting aneurysms. Death more commonly occurred with both types in the winter months.