The abdominal aorta is the largest artery in the body. It starts from the heart and goes down along the thorax to transport the blood to the other organs then it divides in two to irrigate the legs.
6,000 deaths per year
The abdominal aortic aneurysm is a permanent dilation of the aorta, usually without visible symptoms. In the event of rupture, there is internal bleeding and in 80% of cases, without prompt medical treatment, it can be fatal. Screening reduces this risk of mortality to only 5% in the event of planned surgery.
“In 2009-2010, 34% of patients operated on in France for a ruptured AAA (infra-renal abdominal aortic aneurysm) died, whereas only 3% of patients operated on for non-ruptured AAA . Over this same period, the incidence of diagnosed and operated aneurysms was between 6,000 and 7,000 AAA per year, with a 29% increase in the number of abdominal aortic aneurysm operations between 2006 and 2010 “. , reports the High Authority for Health.
There are many risk factors: being smoking or former smoker, have a family history of abdominal aortic aneurysm, have cardiovascular problems (hypertension, atherosclerosis, etc.) or cholesterol. Men are 13 times more affected than women. This pathology occurs especially after 65 years.
An ultrasound is enough
This is why the High Authority for Health recommends that doctors offer screening during an appointment to “men between 65 and 75 years old who are smokers or who have been smokers as well as men between 50 and 75 years old with a family history. “. The exam is only done once and consists of a Doppler echo. If necessary, additional diagnostic examinations (CT scan and MRI) make it possible to specify the characteristics of the AAA.
If the diameter of the aneurysm is greater than 50 mm or its growth rate greater than 10 mm / year, surgery is recommended. In other cases, monitoring and a change in lifestyles (stopping smoking, resuming physical activity, reducing overweight, etc.) are recommended.
A screening campaign is already underway until February 22 in Brittany.
