Adequate diagnostic measures are mandatory in families with ascending aortic aneurysms or type-A aortic dissections to identify or exclude family members at risk for aortic diseases. Even in the absence of identifiable mutations causing isolated aortic aneurysms or aortic dissections, we recommend standardised examinations of all first-degree relatives of affected families. An indication for prophylactic aortic root replacement should be considered for patients at risk.

No abstract