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Since abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is usually asymptomatic and early detection is so crucial in prolonging life and preventing rupture, there is considerable discussion regarding the advantages and disadvantages of screening the general population as they turn 65 years old. The major advantage of mass screening for abdominal aortic aneurysm is that physicians would be alerted to asymptomatic patients who may be at high risk for rupture who would continue to be monitored at regular intervals.

Studies that have conducted screening regimens with various populations have reported significantly reduced incidence of ruptured abdominal aneurysms following early, elective surgical intervention. Some clinicians choose to screen patients who may have a high risk profile for the formation of AAAs including:

• Individuals with atherosclerotic disease.

• Individuals who experience intermittent claudication (lameness due to pain in leg muscles because the blood supply is inadequate).

• Siblings of patients with AAA who are over the age of 50

The drawbacks for screening large segments of the population for the presence of an abdominal aortic aneurysm include:

• The psychological effect on the quality of life of individuals who find out they have a small AAA and have difficulty coping with the tension of not being able to seek any effective treatment until the aneurysm expands. Studies have indicated that patient's perception of their health condition is negatively impacted when informed of the presence of even a small AAA, particularly if they have had a poor quality of life before they are diagnosed.

• Currently, there is no treatment that slows expansion of aneurysms or alters the course of growth so that wide scale screening of the general population may not be cost effective.

Some clinicians suggest that if a person has any of the risk factors for development of an abdominal aortic aneurysm described above, they should discuss with their health care provider the possibilities regarding screening for AAA at regular intervals. Although it is well recognized that early detection of abdominal aortic aneurysms can save lives by preventing rupture, mass screening of the general population is not cost-effective and is, therefore, not used routinely at the present time.