Task Force Guidelines on Aorta Screening in Smokers

This is a call to older male smokers. As a smoker you are at risk for many health issues. While heart and lung conditions are the more commonly known diseases for smokers, vascular diseases are another.

Abdominal aortic aneurysm, or “AAA,” is yet another significant health issue that may be seen with higher frequency in smokers. An aneurysm is an abnormal ballooning or dilatation of a blood vessel. In this case, the aneurysm involves the aorta – the main artery carrying blood to the abdomen and lower body. As the aneurysm gets bigger, there is a risk of sudden death from rupture.

Recently the USPSTF, a task force that reviews guidelines and screening studies, came forward with a recommendation with the intention of saving lives. The Task Force has issued a recommendation for ultrasound screening of male smokers over the age of 65 for the presence of an abdominal aortic aneurysm. Further research is needed to determine the usefulness of the screening test both in women who smoke and in older male non-smokers.

Making use of the simple non-invasive technology of ultrasound, one-time screenings for men in the high risk category will help improve survival from complications of abdominal aortic aneurysm. For more on the recommendation, we recommend this resource.

Image credit: Vincent Willem van Gogh (self portrait) Copyright Public Domain

Originally published 2/25/14 on diagnosticimagingcenterskc.com.