Experts: A third of the victims now killed by artery defect are women so why are life-saving scans for men only?
Simple procedure might save women at risk from potentially lethal condition but they won’t get it...because they’re
‘ All first-degree relatives should be considered for screening, certainly women whose mothers suffered one
Men- only screening for a potentially lethal condition must change because a third of the victims killed are women, according to doctors.
Only men are being routinely screened for a major artery defect which can cause victims to suffer a massive, and often- fatal, internal bleed.
Now surgeons want close female relatives of patients who have suffered an abdominal aor tic aneurysm ( AAA) to be screened because there is a genetic link.
Only men are currently screened for the risk because males are four to six times more likely to suffer from it.
But a third of those killed by the condition are women – and death rates are now falling much faster among men.
The test involves a straightforward scan of a patient’s abdomen.
The National Institute for Health Research ( NIHR) ruled screening women is not “cost effective” because 4,000 would have to be screened to prevent a single death.
However, vascular surgeons are calling for a screening programme for the aneurysms as there is a genetic link and women with close relatives who have suffered A A As are at risk.
There is no current NHS programme to call them for testing and Frank Smith, professor of vascular surgery and su rg ica l education at the University of Bristol, said: “A group of women who should be screened... are those who have a blood relative with an aneurysm, because of the genetic predisposition.”
When women do suffer the aneurysm they are more likely to die or fare worse in surgery.
Doctors also have a tougher job inserting the medical repair devices because manufacturers only make them for men, according to surgeons.
That was a commercial decision by the device makers, based on the fact more men are affected but, because women’s bodies are smaller, it is harder to use larger male- sized correction devices.
Surgeon Rachel Bell, of Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital in London, said: “It is much more difficult to repair them in women because the devices are men-sized.
“The devices don’t suit women. Women are smaller. We have asked medical devices companies to make smaller ones for women.
“Research into abdominal aortic aneurysms showed that men merit screening. There is no financial benefit in screening women.
“However, all first-degree relatives should be considered for screening, certainly women whose mothers suffered from one.”
This is not the first time The Sunday Post has uncovered serious discrepancies in lifesaving healthcare
for women. We revealed in March how women are more likely to suffer neglect when they have heart attacks.
The culture in medicine shows that heart problems are considered to be a risk to men and the care system is unaware that women suffer different symptoms.
Drug treatments were trialled mostly on men but women suffer more side-effects and are more likely to abandon the medicines.
Research from professor Janet Powell, at Imperial College London, shows that death rates from AAAS have been falling faster among men than women.
An aortic aneurysm is a bulge in the main blood vessel running through the abdomen from the heart to the rest of the body.
It can swell over time and if it then ruptures, there is an 80% chance of bleeding to death.
“The decrease in mortality was more marked for men than women,” professor Powell stated in her research into incidence and deaths.
The NIH R decision not to recommend women for screening stated: “All screening scenarios ( for women) were estimated to exceed the NHS cost- effectiveness threshold of £ 20,000 to £ 30,000 per year of quality life gained.
“Aneurysm rupture is a life- threatening emergency with low survival.
“Men are known to be at higher risk and are offered screening at 65 to allow early diagnosis of aneurysms large enough to warrant surgical repair. However, a third of the deaths from rupture are in women.”
The data used to calculate the viability of screening women came from computer-generated analysis.
It was not based on studying women who had suffered AAAS, but assumptions on numbers generated by computer.
Vascular surgeon Harvey Chant lodged an official comment, saying: “Using what data we have and some mathematical ‘smoke and mirrors’, this paper looks at the value of screening for aneurysms in UK women.
“The conclusion that we should not introduce screening for AAA in women seems sound.
“But to be really sure, they suggest we need more information to feed into their model. In effect, it has informed the debate but has not answered the question.”