Analysis shows that the programme for screening 65-year-old men in England for aneurysms, a potentially fatal blood vessel condition could halve deaths, and prove to be extremely cost effective for the NHS.

Carried out over 10-years, the trial found there were only 155-deaths from abdominal aortic aneurysms among those screened, compared to 296-deaths among those who did not undergo the screening.

The initial findings of the English trial of 67,770-men first prompted the government to set up an aneurysm screening programme, with all eligible men in England being screened by 2013.

Currently, the programme is running in six areas of England, and programme leaders hope to roll it across the whole of UK, over the next four years.

According to the latest results, a one-off screening test done by ultrasound, is effective over a longer time-frame than previously measured. Deaths from abdominal aortic aneurysm were cut by 42% at four years, 47% at seven years, and 48% at 10-years.

As well, screening was found to become more cost effective over time at £7,600 per year of life gained after 10-years, though a second study by Danish researchers, published in the British Medical Journal questions the expense of screening, finding it too expensive to be worthwhile.

Each year, there are 6,000-deaths in England and Wales, due to a burst aortic aneurysm caused by ballooning of the artery wall.