Implementation of an Ultrasound Screening Program in a Rural Family Medicine Practice for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms

Carpenter, Rachel

Item

Implementation of an Ultrasound Screening Program in a Rural Family Medicine Practice for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms

Carpenter, Rachel

License

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Abstract

The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) supports the USPSTF recommendation of a one-time screening assessment of all men aged 65 to 75 years old who have ever smoked for an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) via ultrasonography – grade B recommendation. Despite this, few eligible patients are referred specifically for screening and many patients that are screened only have it performed as an incidental finding of other indications for imaging. AAA screening, when done, has demonstrated up to a 40% reduction in AAA specific deaths and a 3% reduction in all cause mortality after 13 years follow up. The initiation of ultrasound use in a primary care clinic has the potential to not only increase AAA screening but also lead to more widespread use of this imaging modality on a comprehensive level.