# Which clients should the nurse refer for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) screening per current USPSTF recommendations? Select all that apply.

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> url: https://mymerci.kr/pages/nclex_q.php?qn_id=375017&lang=en  
> language: en  
> subject: Health Promotion and Maintenance  
> category: HPM

## Question

Which clients should the nurse refer for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) screening per current USPSTF recommendations? Select all that apply.

1

A 68-year-old man who smoked 1 pack daily for 20 years

2

A 67-year-old man who quit smoking 15 years ago after smoking more than 100 cigarettes in his lifetime.

3

A 55-year-old man who currently smokes with no symptoms

4

A 70-year-old man who has never smoked, with strong family history of AAA

5

A 64-year-old man who has never smoked and has no family history or other major AAA risk factor.

## Explanation

USPSTF recommends one-time ultrasound screening for asymptomatic men age 65–75 who have ever smoked, defined as at least 100 lifetime cigarettes, so options 1 and 2 qualify. Screening may be selectively offered to men age 65–75 who never smoked after considering family history, other risk factors, values, benefits, and harms; option 4 is appropriate for shared decision-making. Routine screening is not covered for the younger men in options 3 and 5. For women age 65–75 who ever smoked or have a family history, USPSTF finds the evidence insufficient rather than issuing a routine screening recommendation.

## In-depth explanation

USPSTF letters: A=strong evidence offer; B=moderate evidence offer; C=selective offer; D=do not offer; I=insufficient evidence.

## Clinical scenario

Outpatient preventive visits. Apply USPSTF 2019 AAA screening guidance.

## Key concepts

- **abdominal aortic aneurysm** — Localized dilation of the infrarenal aorta over 3 cm; risk of rupture grows with size.
- **USPSTF** — US Preventive Services Task Force; evidence-based prevention guidelines.
- **one-time screening** — Single ultrasound at recommended age, not repeated, if initial result is normal.

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