Risk factors of aortic aneurysms

Dear Savvy Senior,

Can you tell me about abdominal aortic aneurysms? My 68-year-old brother died from one last year, and I?m wondering it I?m at risk too. What can you tell me?

Wondering Wilber

Dear Wilber,

You are at risk and you need to be screened, the sooner the better. Abdominal aortic aneurysms are extremely dangerous, killing more that 15,000 Americans each year. Here?s what you should know.

Silent Killers

While you don?t hear much about them, abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) ? known in the medical community as silent killers, are the thirteenth leading cause of death in the United States. An AAA is a weak area in the lower portion of the aorta, which is the major artery that carries blood from the heart to the rest of the body. As blood flows through the aorta, the weak area bulges like a balloon and can burst if it gets too big, causing life-threatening internal bleeding. In fact, nearly 80 percent of AAA?s that rupture are fatal, but the good news is that more than nine out of 10 that are detected through screenings are treatable.

The problem with AAA?s is that, because they usually start small and enlarge slowly ? they rarely show any symptoms. That is why screening is crucial. The most common symptoms however (with enlarged AAA?s) may be a throbbing, or pulsation in the abdomen, or sometimes abdominal or lower back pain occurs.

Are You at Risk?

An estimated 200,000 people are diagnosed with AAA each year, but studies suggest that one in 20 Americans age 60 and older (over two million people) may have an AAA and not know it. Are you one of them? Here are the key factors that put you at risk.

? Age: Your risk of getting an AAA increases significantly after age 55 in men, and after age 70 in women.

? Gender: AAA?s are four times more common in men than in women.

? Family history: Having a parent or sibling who has had an AAA can increase your risk to around one in four.

? Smoking: Ninety percent of people with AAA?s smoke or have smoked. This is the number one risk factor and one you can avoid.

* Health factors: Atherosclerosis also known as hardening of the arteries, high blood pressure (140/90 or higher) and high cholesterol levels also increase your risk.

Get Screened

The best way to detect an AAA is to get a simple, painless, 10-minute ultrasound screening test. All men over the age of 60 and anyone age 55 or older with high risk factors should be tested. Here are some convenient screening services you should know about.

? American Vascular Association: Offers free vascular screenings (in May) at more than 250 sites around the country. They test for AAA?s as well as carotid artery disease and peripheral arterial disease. To find a screening site near you visit www.vascularweb.org or call 877-282-2010.

? Life Line Screening: A private company that provides AAA screenings for around $45 per test. They have more than 45 ultrasound teams that travel to 14,000 sites around the country each year. To find an upcoming screening in your area visit www.lifelinescreening.com or call 800-697-9721.

Treatment

Treatment for an AAA will depend on the size of the aneurysm, its rate of growth and your general health. If caught in the early stages when the aneurysm is small, it can be monitored and treated with medication. However, if it is large or enlarging rapidly you?ll probably need surgery.

Savvy Tips: Starting in 2007, Medicare will pay for ultrasound screening tests to detect AAA for new Medicare enrollees who are considered at high risks. And for more information on AAA, the Pacific Vascular Research Foundation offers a free newsletter and publications on AAA, stroke, high blood pressure and other vascular diseases. Call 866-482-7285 or visit www.pvrf.org.

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit www.savvysenior.org. Jim Miller is a regular contributor to the NBC Today Show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.