Cardiovascular doctors from the Cardinal Santos Medical Center (CSMC) and the Philippine Society of Vascular Medicine (PSVM), in partnership with the Tzu Chi Medical Foundation Philippines (TCMFP), conducted a lecture and screening on abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) at the Tzu Chi Eye Center on 17 August as part of the hospital’s project to create a local model for diagnosing community-based AAA.

Michael Anthony dela Cruz, consultant-vascular cardiologist at CSMC, said the AAA lecture and screening aim to raise awareness and build community data on the disease.

“AAA is a very serious disease because it is underdiagnosed and it has a high mortality rate,” Dela Cruz said. “When the patients come to the hospital either the aneurysm is too big or has a cut, there is a risk for dissection, or what we do not want the most, is that the aneurysm has ruptured. In that kind of situation, the essence of prevention is lost. That’s why we prefer a community-based approach, because it allows you to screen it earlier.” 

During the lay lecture, vascular cardiology fellow Kimberly Co explained that in AAA, the abdominal aorta, the largest artery in humans, enlarges to more than three centimeters or more than half of the normal size of the blood vessel. 

Susceptible to the disease are those with a family history of AAA, history of smoking, atherosclerosis, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and prior Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting, according to Co. Men aged 60 and above are at higher risk of suffering AAA than women.

By supporting the AAA lecture and screening, TCMFP is showing compassion to people with AAA. 

“If we were able to find people (with AAA) who need help, we will bring them to Cardinal Santos Medical Center,” said Alfredo Li, CEO of TCMFP. 

“It is good for the both of us and most importantly, to the patients,” Li added.