Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) screening
AAA screening is offered to all men over the age of 64. Anyone assigned male at birth who is over the age of 64 can have it.
Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) screening is done to check if there are any swellings (aneurysms) in the main blood vessel in your tummy (abdomen), called the aorta. The aorta runs from your heart down to your abdomen.
AAA screening can help find an abdominal aortic aneurysm early. This means it can be monitored and treated, if needed, so it's less likely to burst (rupture), which can be life threatening.
All men living in England are invited for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) screening the year they turn 65.
AAA screening is recommended for anyone assigned male at birth. This includes men, trans women and non-binary people.
You'll have the AAA screening test once, unless an aneurysm is found.
Men are invited for AAA screening because they're more likely to have an abdominal aortic aneurysm.
AAA screening is not usually offered to people with a lower risk of getting an abdominal aortic aneurysm, including:
- men under 65
- women
- people who have already had treatment for an abdominal aortic aneurysm
If you're not eligible for AAA screening but you think you're at higher risk of getting an abdominal aortic aneurysm, talk to a GP about the possibility of getting a scan.
You may be at higher risk if:
- people in your family have had an abdominal aortic aneurysm
- you have high blood pressure, diabetes or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- you smoke
During the year you turn 65, you'll get a letter inviting you for a pre-booked abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) screening appointment.
The letter is usually sent 3 to 6 weeks before the appointment.
AAA screening usually takes place at GP surgeries or health centres, and sometimes hospitals.
If you need to change your appointment or you've not had an invitation letter and think you should have, contact your local AAA screening service.
It's your choice if you want to have AAA screening. Most abdominal aortic aneurysms do not have any symptoms, so screening is the best way to find one.
Finding an abdominal aortic aneurysm reduces the chance of it bursting (rupturing), which can be life threatening.
If you do not want to have screening for AAA, call your local AAA screening service.
You can call again to ask for the screening if you decide you want to have it in the future.
The main test to find out if you have an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is an ultrasound scan of your tummy. It usually takes around 10 to 15 minutes and is painless.
A small handheld device called a probe is placed on your tummy and images of the inside of your tummy will be shown on a screen.
The medical professional doing the test will check for any bulges or swelling of the aorta.
Sometimes it may not be possible to get a clear picture of your aorta. If this happens, you may need to have another scan.
You'll get the results of the abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) screening at the end of the scan. Your GP surgery will be sent the results.
If an aneurysm is not found
If you do not have an aneurysm, you do not need to do anything and will not need to have any more scans.
If an aneurysm is found
If an aneurysm is found during your scan, what happens next depends on the size of the aneurysm.
If you have a small or medium aneurysm, you'll be offered an appointment to see a specialist nurse.
They'll answer any questions you may have and talk to you about:
- any medicines you may need to take
- having your blood pressure checked more often
- things you can do to slow down the growth of the aneurysm – such as quitting smoking if you smoke, losing weight if you're overweight, and having a healthy, balanced diet
