Aortic atherosclerosis, a relatively common clinical vascular disease, is characterized by thickening, hardening, loss of elasticity, and lumen narrowing of the arterial wall, and is strongly related to age, gender, dyslipidemia, hypertension, smoking, diabetes, and abnormal glucose tolerance. Patients with abnormal total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL, and HDL are generally particularly prone to aortic atherosclerosis. The presence of aortic atherosclerosis requires consideration of statins. Keeping lipids within the normal range prevents atherosclerosis from worsening and thus rupture of the aorta.