Prevalence of abdominal aortic aneurysm associated with hypertension in an urban population.
METHODS
Since 1989 13,000 invitations to screening for abdominal aortic aneurysm have been offered to men aged 60 to 75 living within the Birmingham conurbation.


RESULTS
The overall attendance was 76.1% (52-99%). The prevalence of aneurysms greater than 29 mm in the whole male population aged 60 to 75 was 7.2%. For those aged 60 to 64 the prevalence was 3.8%. For those aged between 60 and 64 with hypertension, however, the prevalence of abdominal aortic aneurysm was 7.7%. The relative risk of hypertension associated with aneurysm disease is 2.7.


CONCLUSIONS
This paper suggests that all men over 65 should be screened for aortic aneurysm, but that those men over 60 with hypertension should be added to the screened cohort.
Grimshaw
G M
GM
School of health and Community Studies, University of Derby, Mickleover, United Kingdom.
Thompson
J M
JM
Hamer
J D
JD
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004739:England; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D014505:Urban Population