Sean King

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San Juan, Puerto Rico, United States

Sunday, June 28, 2009

UK to Begin Screening for Aneurysms

guardian.co.uk: A new programme to screen men in their 60s and 70s for weaknesses in the body's biggest artery could save nearly 2,000 lives a year, according to new research. Ultrasound scans will be used to check for weak spots in the aorta, which can be strengthened with surgery if necessary. Without treatment, there's a danger the aorta could rupture, causing fatal bleeding.

The researchers calculated that, over the 10 years, the costs of the programme were £7,600 for every year of life saved. Adjusting for quality of life, the costs rose to £9,400. Both of these figures are well within the cut-off point of around £30,000, at which treatments are deemed too expensive for the NHS.

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