Our Vascular Risk Unit has started a program of early detection of asymptomatic abdominal aortic aneurysm, which has an estimated prevalence in the adult population of between 4 and 9%. In most adults, an aortic diameter> 3.0 cm is considered aneurysmal. We consider small aneurysms <4.0 cm, medium size between 4.0 and 5.5 cm, large> 5.5 cm and very large> 6.0 cm
The natural history of the AAA is its progressive expansion. Its speed depends on the associated risk factors that the patient has, being the most important the smoking habit. The rupture of the AAA is a situation of extreme gravity that implies an urgent open surgery to life or death, with an unfortunate prognosis. However, the early diagnosis of AAA and its Endovascular Aneurysm Repair (EVAR) is assuming a reduction in the incidence of mortality associated with rupture of abdominal aneurysms (rAAA).
Every adult over 60 years of age with cardiovascular risk factors should undergo a simple abdominal ultrasonography during his routine medical check-ups in order to rule out this pathology.
Our colleague, Dr. Jose Antonio Carmona, has launched this program of early detection by ultrasonography for all risk patients.
