los ▁synd rom es ▁or ▁con gen ital ▁b icus pid ▁a ort ic ▁val ve . ▁Young er ▁patients ▁may ▁develop ▁a ort ic ▁an eur ys ms ▁of ▁the ▁thor aco ab dom inal ▁a ort a ▁after ▁an ▁a ort ic ▁dis section . ▁It ▁can ▁also ▁be ▁caused ▁by ▁bl unt ▁injury . ▁ ▁A ther os cl eros is ▁is ▁the ▁principal ▁cause ▁of ▁desc ending ▁a ort ic ▁an eur ys ms , ▁while ▁an eur ys ms ▁of ▁the ▁a ort ic ▁arch ▁may ▁be ▁due ▁to ▁dis section , ▁a ther os cl eros is ▁or ▁infl amm ation . ▁ ▁Age ▁The ▁diagn osis ▁of ▁thor ac ic ▁a ort ic ▁an eur ys m ▁usually ▁involves ▁patients ▁in ▁their ▁ 6 0 s ▁and ▁ 7 0 s . ▁ ▁R isk ▁factors ▁Hy pert ension ▁and ▁cig aret te ▁sm oking ▁are ▁the ▁most ▁important ▁risk ▁factors , ▁though ▁the ▁importance ▁of ▁gen etic ▁factors ▁has ▁been ▁increasing ly ▁recognized . ▁Appro xim ately ▁ 1 0 % ▁of ▁patients ▁may ▁have ▁other ▁family ▁members ▁who ▁have ▁a ort ic ▁an eur ys ms . ▁It ▁is ▁also ▁important ▁to ▁note ▁that ▁individuals ▁with ▁a ▁history ▁of ▁an eur ys ms ▁in ▁other ▁parts ▁of ▁the ▁body ▁have ▁a ▁higher ▁chance ▁of ▁developing ▁a ▁thor ac ic ▁a ort ic ▁an eur ys m . ▁ ▁Di agn osis ▁ ▁Thor ac ic ▁ab dom inal ▁an eur ys m ▁is ▁defined