Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm: Sorting the Evidence From the Noise
It usually causes no symptoms until it ruptures, which is frequently fatal, and a single ultrasound at 65 finds most of them.
Key takeaways
- Screening: offered to men in England at 65
- The test: a single abdominal ultrasound, painless, a few minutes
- Most useful single change: Attend the screening invitation at 65.
- Commonest mistake: Ignoring the screening invitation because you feel well.
- See a doctor if any of the signs under "When to speak to a doctor" below apply to you.
What it is
A swelling of the main artery running through the abdomen. It sits within Mens Health. Below are the published figures, in one place.
The numbers, in one place
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Screening | offered to men in England at 65 |
| The test | a single abdominal ultrasound, painless, a few minutes |
| Main risk factors | smoking, high blood pressure, age, family history |
| Most are | symptomless until rupture |
| Small aneurysms | monitored rather than operated on |
What helps
Here is what the evidence supports doing. Some of it will already be familiar.
- Attend the screening invitation at 65
- Stop smoking; it is the single largest modifiable risk factor
- Keep blood pressure controlled
- Tell your GP if a parent or sibling has had one
What to avoid
These come up often, and several of them sound like good ideas.
- Ignoring the screening invitation because you feel well
- Continuing to smoke if an aneurysm has been found
- Missing monitoring scans if you are under surveillance
Where to go next
- Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm: The Quick Reference
- Understanding Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm: A Plain-English Explainer
- Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm — the reference entry
- Bowel Cancer Screening: What Published Guidance Supports
- Testicular Self-Checks: Sorting the Evidence From the Noise
When to speak to a doctor
Call 999 immediately for sudden severe pain in the abdomen, back or lower back, especially with dizziness, fainting, sweating or a pulsating feeling in the abdomen — a ruptured aneurysm is a life-threatening emergency. Seek urgent advice for any new severe abdominal or back pain if you are known to have an aneurysm.
Where this comes from
- NHS — Abdominal aortic aneurysm screening
- UK National Screening Committee — AAA screening
How this page was put together
Every figure, recommendation and warning above is taken from the guidance named in Where this comes from. Nothing on this page is inferred, summarised or generalised beyond what those bodies publish: where they give a number, it is their number, and where they are silent, so are we. Pages are rebuilt whenever the underlying record changes. Sign-off by a named clinician, where it has happened, is shown at the top of the page along with the date.
Medical disclaimer
This article is general information, not medical advice. It cannot account for your own history, medication or circumstances. Always speak to a GP, pharmacist or another qualified health professional before making changes that affect your treatment, and never delay seeking medical advice because of something you have read here. In an emergency, call 999.
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