Doxycycline as a means of decreasing abdominal aortic aneurysm growth: Will it work?

In addition to the increasing risk of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) with age, the overall incidence of AAA is increasing, especially small asymptomatic aneurysms. There is no systematic approach to screening at present, AAA usually being identified during imaging studies for unrelated problems. The aneurysm diameter is the best indicator for rupture risk and the necessity of surgical intervention. Drugs have been demonstrated to slow the growth of AAAs, thus delaying surgery. Animal studies with doxycycline have shown positive results. Human trials have been started to gauge the dose necessary to slow the growth of AAAs. If doxycycline proves to be effective in this, various measures will need to be addressed, including widespread screening.