High AAA Risk Found in Native American Women

BY TIMOTHY F. KIRN

SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. -- Native American women appear to have a high risk of abdominal aortic aneurysm, but, contrary to previous reports, women with hypertension do not, according to data from a large free screening program.

The program screened 7,000 women over the age of 65 years and those over 50 with a family history of aneurysm. Native American women made up 3% of the group but accounted for 7% of the aneurysms found, giving them a risk almost four times higher than that of Caucasian women, Dr. Brian G. DeRubertis said at an international congress on endovascular interventions sponsored by the Arizona Heart Foundation.

The program represents the largest group of women screened yet reported, and the finding of an elevated prevalence in Native American women has not previously been described, said Dr. DeRubertis of Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York.

The overall prevalence found among the 7,000 women was 0.7%, a rate similar to those found in previous reports.

The prevalence rose to about 5% in women who had three of four risk factors identified in an analysis of the program's data, Dr. DeRubertis said.

Although previous reports identified hypertension as a risk factor, the data from this program did not, he added. Diabetes and hypercholesterolemia were also not risk factors.

The risk factors identified were age over 75 years, smoking, family history in those over 60 years, and history of a myocardial infarction or coronary revascularization.

Although ultrasound screening for abdominal aortic aneurysm is not recommended generally for women, these data suggest it would be for women who have those risk factors, Dr. DeRubertis said.

The free screening program, known as SAVE (Stroke and Aneurysm Vascular Evaluation), was sponsored by Medtronic Inc. and conducted by Life Line Screening.