Men aged 65 years, are being invited to attend for an Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) screening appointment at their local clinic.
This screening is a way of checking if there’s a bulge or swelling in the aorta, the main blood vessel that runs from your heart down through your stomach. It is estimated that about 1 in 20 men aged 65 and over in Scotland have an AAA. If you have an AAA, you are unlikely to have any symptoms.
It is important that men aged 65 come along to their Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) screening when invited. It’s the simplest and best way to find out if you have an aneurysm. It could save your life.
For men aged 65 years, appointment letters will be sent to your home address asking you to attend a local clinic, or if they are over 65 they can self refer by telephoning their local clinic on 01294 323134 to make an appointment.
What to expect at your screening appointment
When you arrive at your screening appointment a member of staff will check your details, explain what will happen during your scan and give you the chance to ask any questions.
The scan is an ultrasound scan which is completely painless and safe. It’s very quick and usually last for about ten minutes.
The staff member will ask you to lie down and lift or unbutton your shirt – you will not have to undress. They will put some cool jelly on your abdomen and move the scanner over your abdomen so they can look at the image of the aorta on screen.
After the scan you will be told the results straight away.