Health experts recommend screening for aortic aneurysm
Jun. 17—Federal health officials recommend that men 65 and older who have been smokers be screened for aortic aneurysm, a potentially life-threatening condition.
An aortic aneurysm is a balloon-like bulge in the aorta, the large artery that carries blood from the heart through the chest and torso.
A thoracic aortic aneurysm happens in the chest. An abdominal aortic aneurysm, which is more common, happens below the chest.
Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA), which are more common in men and among people 65 and older, often don't have any symptoms until it becomes a medical emergency. But some people may notice back pain, a pulse near the belly button, or a dull ache or pain in the abdomen or side.
Aortic aneurysms can dissect or rupture. Dissection occurs when the force of blood pumping splits the layers of the artery wall, allowing blood to leak in between them.
An AAA also can burst or rupture completely, causing bleeding inside the body.
Symptoms include: Sudden, severe pain in lower back, abdomen, or legs; fast heart rate; low blood pressure; nausea and vomiting; fainting and clammy skin.
Call 911 immediately.
According to the Society for Vascular Surgery, 200,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with AAA every year. A ruptured AAA is the 10th-leading cause of death in men older than 55.
Aneurysms can run in families.
Risk factors for AAA include smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and atherosclerosis (hardened arteries).
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends that men 65 to 75 years old who have smoked at some point should get an ultrasound screening for abdominal aortic aneurysms.
SOURCES: CDC and health.gov
