deCODE Cardio

deCODE Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm test

Defines 13% of the population at 20–70% increased risk, independent of smoking, age or family history.

The deCODE Cardio Scan detects the same risk factors and markers included in our individual tests for:

Atrial Fibrillation (deCODE AF™),
Clopidogrel Metabolizing Status (deCODE Clopidogrel™),
Heart Attack (deCODE MI™) and
Type 2 Diabetes (deCODE T2™).

together with:

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm, Intracranial Aneurysm and Venous Thromboembolism.

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Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

Screening and prevention

How the deCODE AAA test can help.

deCODE’s AAA test helps identify those individuals who are at elevated risk of AAA and may therefore benefit from earlier or more frequent screening, particularly if they have other risk factors such as long-term smoking and family history.

The American College of Cardiology recommends ultrasound screening for AAA for men 60 years of age or older who are either siblings of AAA patients or have parents with AAA, as well as for men who are current or former smokers between 65 and 75 years of age.

deCODE Cardio detects two SNPs on chromosome 9 associated in several large cohorts with increased risk of the development of abdominal aortic aneurysm.

These markers identify approximately 13% of people of European descent at between 1.18- and 1.73-fold the population average risk. The impact of the markers on risk in people of other continental ancestries has not yet been validated.

Since the risk conferred by the chromosome 9 SNPs is independent of other risk factors, the impact of these other factors, such as age, smoking and family history, can be multiplied by the deCODE Cardio results to yield a more complete risk assessment.

Most AAAs are asymptomatic until they rupture or approach rupture.

This content was last reviewed on January 26, 2011.