janssen pharmaceuticals inc. and by w.l.. >> mcfarland: nearly 50,000 people die each year from all types of aortic disease, more than breast cancer or aids or even motor vehicle accidents. but despite this large number, many people have never heard of thoracic or abdominal aortic aneurysms, and therefore they have no idea how to recognize the signs that a potentially life-threatening rupture may be about to occur. >> kind of lucky, isn't it? [laughs] >> yes. >> mcfarland: dr. michel makaroun is professor of surgery and the chair of vascular surgery at university of pittsburgh medical center. >> the aorta is a very large blood vessel. this is the main blood vessel that comes out of the heart and distributes the blood to all the organs. >> mcfarland: the aorta is called the thoracic aorta as it leaves the heart, ascends, arches, and descends through the chest until it reaches the diaphragm. the aorta is then called the abdominal aorta after it has passed the diaphragm and continues down the abdomen. the abdominal aorta ends w