Private abdominal aortic aneurysm clinic in London, same-day GP.

The screening programme

• Screening is offered to men in the year they turn 65. You do not need to prepare, undress fully or fast.
• Men over 65 who have never been screened can request a scan directly from their local programme — this is not widely known and applies at any age.
• Women are not routinely screened, as aneurysms are much less common, though risk rises with smoking and family history.
• Around 1 in 70 men screened has an aneurysm, and the great majority are small and simply monitored.

What the result means

• Under 3cm — normal. No aneurysm, and no further scans needed. This is the result for around 99 in 100 men.
• 3.0 to 4.4cm — small. Annual scans. Risk of rupture is very low at this size.
• 4.5 to 5.4cm — medium. Scans every three months.
• 5.5cm or larger — large. Referral to a vascular surgeon to consider repair.
• Rapid growth — more than 1cm in a year — also prompts referral regardless of size.

What slows growth

Repair

• EVAR — a stent inserted through the groin arteries. Shorter recovery, but requires lifelong scan surveillance because the stent can leak or move.
• Open repair — a larger operation replacing the segment with a graft. Longer recovery, and more durable.
• The choice depends on the aneurysm's shape and position, your age and your other conditions — and it is a genuine discussion rather than a foregone conclusion.

Who is at higher risk

Men; age over 65; smoking, which is the strongest modifiable factor; high blood pressure; a first-degree relative with an aneurysm, which roughly doubles risk; existing cardiovascular disease; and connective tissue conditions such as Marfan syndrome, in which aneurysms occur younger and are managed differently.