More than one million people are living with undiagnosed Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms (AAA). An estimated 95 percent of all AAAs can be successfully treated if detected prior to rupture, but if undetected until rupture, only 10 – 25 percent of patients survive. All that is needed to avoid tragedy and save these lives is a simple ultrasound screening.
AAAs are described as a weakening and bulging of the aorta, the largest artery in the body, usually occurring in the abdominal portion of the artery. This can result in rupture, leading to profuse bleeding, shock and possibly death. They are the 15th-leading cause of death in the United States and the 3rd leading cause of sudden death in men over 60 years of age.