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“I’m 59 and was not even going to have the screening done,
but I’m glad I did because the test found a 95 percent blockage in my neck
artery. I had surgery to fix it - before I had a stroke.”
C. WADSWORTH
Enola, PA |
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Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
The
abdominal aorta is the largest blood vessel in the body. It is the main
artery stemming from the heart. An abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is an
enlargement in the lining of that blood vessel. As the lining gets weaker,
primarily due to age and other risk factors, the vessel wall becomes thinner
and expands.
Once discovered, an aneurysm is measured in diameter and is carefully
monitored. When it grows beyond five (5) centimeters in diameter, the aneurysm
is often surgically corrected. An aneurysm can rupture, producing catastrophic
bleeding and results in a fatality 80% of the time. Most people with an
abdominal aortic aneurysm present no warning signs.
The most common location for an abdominal aortic aneurysm is below the
area where the aorta divides to supply blood to the kidneys and above where
it divides to supply blood to the pelvis and legs.
SCREENING INFORMATION
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