Primary Health Care will begin offering a new screening service for abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA).
Deputy Prime Minister and Health Minister Chris Fearne explained how AAA monitoring is important as a patient with this condition does not experience symptoms before the condition progresses to the point of attack.
In fact, 75% of patients who experience this attack lose their lives.
Therefore, through this screening, which will be offered to men over the age of 65, the patient will be given the opportunity to become aware that he has this condition and the necessary preventive interventions will be performed.
This service will be provided in the Hamrun clinic, and eventually in other centers around Malta and Gozo.
Minister Fearne explained how men over the age of 65 will receive an invitation home to go to the designated health centers for this one-time ultrasound scan.
Vascular Surgery Consultant Professor Kevin Cassar explained how AAA is much more common in men and that the risk of this condition increases with old age, with smoking and if there are already cases in the family.
It is estimated that this service can save between five and ten lives a year.
Professor Cassar stressed the importance of people turning to this service.
Photos: ODPM-MFH / DOI
