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Table of Contents

AAA screening and COVID-19

While there was a pause in Northern Ireland’s AAA screening programme during 2020, it is now being delivered across all Health and Social Care Trusts.

To allow for social distancing and infection control requirements, there continues to be a backlog and delay in initial screening invitations.

Information on what this means for the AAA screening programme, including a section of frequently asked questions (FAQs) is available on the Public Health Agency website.

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA)

Most people with an AAA don’t have any symptoms.

To read more about an AAA, go to:

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA)

Men at risk of having an AAA

Men are more likely than women to have an AAA.

One in 65 men aged 65 in Northern Ireland has an AAA.

The risk of developing an AAA depends on your age and genes. If you’re the close relative of an affected person, you’re more likely to get an AAA.

You could increase the risk of having an AAA if you:

smoke
have high cholesterol
have high blood pressure

You can have an AAA even if you aren’t in any of the above categories.

AAA screening programme

The Northern Ireland AAA Screening Programme invites men in their 65th year to screening. The programme doesn’t screen women.

You must be registered with a GP.

If you’re a man, aged over 65 and haven’t yet been screened, you should contact the central screening office:

Northern Ireland AAA Screening Programme

AAA screening newsletter

The NI AAA Screening Programme newsletter includes information on programme delivery across the region and the role of GPs, practice managers and practice nurses in helping to support this.

It covers many topics including:

profiles of key staff
service user engagement activities
performance data
information materials available upon request to the programme office

Northern Ireland AAA screening newsletter

AAA screening programme video

In the following video, consultant vascular surgeon, Paul Blair, discusses the AAA screening process.

Screening people with a family history of AAAs

If your brother, sister or a parent has or had an AAA, you should ask your GP about getting an ultrasound scan.

Men and women can do this if their close relative had an AAA.

This screening is not part of the screening programme.

Changing a screening appointment

Your screening invitation has your appointment time, date and location in your Trust area.

To change your appointment time, date or location, you need to contact the central screening office.

Northern Ireland AAA Screening Programme

How screening for an AAA can help

Screening is a scan of your abdomen.

By screening, it is possible to detect, monitor and treat most abdominal aortic aneurysms.

This reduces the risk of an aneurysm bursting and causing internal bleeding or death.

This type of scan doesn’t look for any other health conditions.

Abdominal aortic aneurysm screening – getting screened

Screening in your area

There are screening clinics in all trust areas. You go to a screening clinic in your area. The clinic could be in a:

community hospital
GP surgery
health and care centre
health and wellbeing centre

If you need more information about clinics, contact the screening programme office.

Northern Ireland AAA Screening Programme

What happens during AAA screening

A screening technician uses an ultrasound probe to scan your abdomen for an AAA. The monitor displays an image of your aorta. The screening technician measures the diameter and knows if you have an AAA. They tell you the results immediately.

What screening results can show

You will get one of five possible results from the scan:

you have a normal aorta
you have a small AAA
you have a medium AAA
you have a large AAA
non-visualisation

Normal aorta

When your result is normal, you don’t need AAA screening again or any treatment.

Small AAA

This means your aorta is wider than 30mm but less than 45mm. You will need a monitoring scan every year to check if the AAA is growing.

Medium AAA

This means your aorta is between 45mm and 54mm wide. You will need a monitoring scan every three months to check if the AAA is growing.

Large AAA

This means your aorta is more than 55mm wide. You will need an assessment for surgery. Your assessment appointment will take place within three weeks of your diagnosis.

Non-visualisation

Sometimes the aorta cannot be fully visualised and a man will be invited to come back on a different day for another scan.

You will get support and advice about:

stopping smoking
diet, weight management and exercise
lipid modification and statin therapy
prevention, diagnosis and management of high blood pressure
prevention, diagnosis and management of diabetes
drug therapy and anti-platelet agents

When screening detects a small or medium AAA

If you have a small or medium AAA:

you’ll get a leaflet explaining what happens next
a specialist nurse will contact you within two working days
the clinic will tell your GP

The nurse will give you lifestyle advice that could slow the growth of your AAA. They will tell you about:

eating healthy foods
doing regular physical activity
stopping smoking

Treating a large AAA

If detected early, surgery is suitable for most large AAAs. When you’re diagnosed with a large AAA, the vascular surgeon will discuss treatment with you. They will explain two operations:

replacing the aneurysm with an artificial artery
repairing the aneurysm with stents through your arteries

Drivers or motorcyclists diagnosed with an AAA

If you hold a heavy goods vehicle (HGV) licence and are diagnosed with an AAA of any size, you must tell the Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA).

They will suspend your HGV licence if your AAA is 55mm wide or more.

If you’re a motorcyclist or hold any other driving licence and are diagnosed with an AAA 60mm wide or more, you must tell the DVA.

They will suspend your driving licence if your AAA reaches 65mm wide or more.

They will reinstate your licence when you’ve had successful treatment for the aneurysm.

Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA)

Deciding against being screened for an AAA

It’s your choice to have screening for an AAA. If you’re invited to screening but don’t want to go, contact the screening office on 028 9615 1212. They will take you off the list.

Northern Ireland AAA Screening Programme

Having a second scan for an AAA

If the screening technician cannot see your aorta clearly at your first appointment, you will need a second scan:

at a different screening clinic
in a hospital