AA (Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm)
AAA stands for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm. The aorta is the main blood vessel that supplies blood to your body. It runs from your heart down through your chest and abdomen.
In some people, as they get older, the wall of the aorta in the abdomen can become weak. It can then start to expand and form what is called an abdominal aortic aneurysm. The condition is most common in men aged 65 and above. Men are six times more likely to have an aneurysm than women and your risk of having an aneurysm increases if you are or have been a smoker, you have high blood pressure or you have a close family member who has had one.
If you have an AAA you will not usually notice any signs or symptoms; this means cannot tell if you have one, will not feel any pain or notice anything different. Large aneurysms are rare but can be very serious. As the wall of the aorta stretches it becomes weak and can burst, causing internal bleeding. Around 85% die when an aneurysm bursts.
An aorta that is only slightly larger than normal is not dangerous; however, it is still important to know about it so that we can check if the aneurysm is getting bigger.
AAA screening is a free NHS national programme that screens men aged 65 plus to check if they have an abdominal aortic aneurysm. The screening is by invitation and uses an ultrasound scan. If you are a man aged over 65 you are more at risk of an abdominal aortic aneurysm that any other demographic so this is why you will be invited for screening.
We offer screening so we can find aneurysms early and monitor or treat them. This greatly reduces the chances of the aneurysm causing serious problems.
Men over 65 who have not previously been screened or diagnosed with an aneurysm can request a scan by contacting their local programme directly on: 0191 445 2554
The North East of England and North Cumbria AAA screening programme is run from The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, you will be invited to a local clinic for an ultrasound scan. Our centre covers the area from North Yorkshire to Berwick and North Cumbria.
Click here for a leaflet with more information on the AAA screening process or here for accessible AAA screening process leaflets.
Bowel Cancer Screening
Bowel cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the UK. The aim of the national Bowel Screening Programme is to discover bowel cancer at an early stage. The sooner it’s caught, the easier it is to treat.
Bowel screening involves a simple test that you conduct at home. For these reasons we encourage you to consider participating in the bowel screening programme.
Whether or not to take part in bowel screening is your choice.
Men and women aged between 60 and 74 of age are eligible to take part every 2 years.
If you have not received your screening pack or which to have another sent out to you, please telephone the following number: 0800 707 6060
You can also discuss this with any member of practice staff.
If you would like to know more about bowel cancer screening please click on the link below:
As the likelihood of getting breast cancer increases with age, all women who are aged 50-70 and registered with a GP are automatically invited for breast cancer screening every three years.
In the meantime, if you are worried about breast cancer symptoms, such as a lump or area of thickened tissue in a breast, don’t wait to be offered screening – see your GP.
Please click on the link below if you would like to know more information about breast screening. View video to see what happens during a mammogram, also the benefits of mammography and ultrasound explained.