Recent trends in morbidity and mortality rates for abdominal aortic aneurysms.
OBJECTIVE
To examine recent trends in mortality and morbidity rates from aortic aneurysms among Canadian seniors.


METHODS
Retrospective study.


METHODS
Men and women age 65 years or older who were hospitalized in Canada with a primary diagnosis of aortic aneurysm or whose underlying cause of death was aortic aneurysm.


RESULTS
Unlike other circulatory diseases which have shown marked declines, mortality and morbidity rates from aortic aneurysms have remained constant over the last 10 years. Risks for male seniors are 4-5 times greater than for females.


CONCLUSIONS
Since mortality and morbidity from aortic aneurysms have not decreased and screening offers potential benefits, costs and benefits of screening need to be quantified.
Semenciw
R
R
Bureau of Chronic Disease Epidemiology, Health and Welfare Canada, Ottawa, ON.
Morrison
H
H
Wigle
D
D
Cole
W
W
Hill
G
G
D000368:Aged; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000401:mortality*; D001019:Aortic Rupture / Q000401:mortality; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D002423:Cause of Death; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009017:Morbidity; D012189:Retrospective Studies