Primary Health Care will begin offering a new screening service for abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA).
Health Minister Chris Fearne explained how AAA monitoring is important, as a patient with this condition does not experience symptoms before the condition progresses to the point of attack.
He stressed the fact that 75% of patients who experience this attack lose their lives.
Through this screening, which will be offered to men over the age of 65, the patient will be made aware that he has this condition and the necessary preventive interventions will be performed, Dr Fearne said.
This service will initially be provided in the Hamrun Clinic, and eventually in other centres around Malta and Gozo.
Minister Fearne explained how men over the age of 65 will be invited go to the designated health centres for this one-time ultrasound scan.
Vascular Surgery Consultant Professor Kevin Cassar said that AAA is much more common in men and that the risk of this condition increases with old age, with smoking, or if there is a family history of it.
It is estimated that this service can save between five and ten lives a year, he said.
Professor Cassar stressed the importance of people using this service.
Photo: DOI/Clifton Fenech
1 Comment To "Abdominal aortic aneurysm screening launched for men over 65"
#1 Comment By Sue On June 12, 2022 @ 9:31 pm
Over 65 is probably too late. My grandfather died of one at 65. My older brother had one diagnosed at 60 (because my mother had been found to have one at 75, we four children were all screened. Only my brother had one. It was “lagged” so it wouldn’t burst. My mother’s brother was also diagnosed with one but not till his 80s, and he was not treated, neither was my mother – too risky, they said.