2008年11月18日 星期二

AAA in women

An often overlooked danger of smoking is an increased risk of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). There are particular risks for women. This study notes that
  • AAA is commoner in men but more likely to be fatal in women
  • Most research into AAA until now has been done in men
  • Age and smoking are the strongest risk factors for AAA in women
  • Women with diabetes are less likely to have AAA
The implication is that if we see an elderly woman who smokes and has a family history of AAA, we should probably arrange screening.

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Source: BMJ 2008;337:a1724

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