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The Healthy Advantage Program will offer free Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) screenings by appointment only. This event has reached capacity Please call 352-733-0000 (M-F, 8-5) if you have questions.

During this brief screening technicians will use an ultrasound to examine your abdomen and may feel the pulses in your legs. 6-8 hours of fasting is recommended for this screening. If you need to take medication take it as normally scheduled with a small amount of water.

Definition

An abdominal aortic aneurysm is when the large blood vessel that supplies blood to the abdomen, pelvis, and legs becomes abnormally large or balloons outward.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors

The exact cause is unknown, but risk factors for developing an aortic aneurysm include:

• Smoking
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Male gender
• Emphysema
• Genetic factors
• Obesity

An abdominal aortic aneurysm can develop in anyone, but is most often seen in males over 60 who have one or more risk factors. The larger the aneurysm, the more likely it is to rupture and break open.

Symptoms

Aneurysms develop slowly over many years and often have no symptoms. If an aneurysm expands rapidly, tears open (ruptured aneurysm), or blood leaks along the wall of the vessel (aortic dissection), symptoms may develop suddenly.

The symptoms of rupture include:

• Pain in the abdomen or back -- severe, sudden, persistent, or constant. The pain may radiate to the groin, buttocks, or legs.
• Clammy skin
• Nausea and vomiting
• Rapid heart rate
• Shock

Signs and tests

Your doctor will examine your abdomen. The exam also will include an evaluation of pulses and feeling in your legs. The doctor may find:

• A lump (mass) in the abdomen
• Pulsating sensation in the abdomen
• Stiff or rigid abdomen