IN THE NEWS

SAAAVE Act. President Bush signed S.1932, the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005, also known as the Budget Reconciliation, into law on February 8, 2006. The Act contains the Screening Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms Very Efficiently (SAAAVE) Act, which provides a one-time screening for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), a preventable condition that claims the lives of about 15,000 Americans each year. The screening will be covered by Medicare, beginning January 1, 2007, as part of the "Welcome to Medicare" physical for males who smoke or have ever smoked and those with a family history of AAA. Thanks to all who wrote to their senators and representatives to support the bill.

May is National Stroke Month. Read about strokes on page 11. For more information on strokes, go to www.stroke.org or www.strokeassociation.org, or call 1-800-STROKES.

March is DVT Awareness Month and VDF has been actively promoting awareness with radio announcements, an article appearing in newspapers across the country, and a press release. Being aware of DVT risk factors and symptoms could save your life. Be sure to read the articles in this issue.

Free Screening for AAA, PAD, and Carotid Disease. The American Vascular Association, the foundation of the Society for Vascular Surgery, will provide free screenings in many cities during May. Find out if there is a screening site near you by calling 1-877-282-2010, or go to www.vdf.org and follow the links for Upcoming Events.

Upcoming Conferences and Workshops. VDF representatives will attend several national medical professional conferences, with a goal of reaching groups that are not familiar with VDF and its resources. Upcoming conferences include those sponsored by the Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association, the American Venous Forum, the Annual Vascular Meeting, and the American Geriatrics Society. VDF has been invited once again to conduct training workshops on "Ankle- Brachial Index and the Diagnosis of PAD" at the 2006 Annual Session of the American College of Physicians (ACP). Additionally, VDF is slated to conduct five ABI workshops at regional primary care meetings across the country from April to June.

In May, VDF will also participate in the Surgeon General's Workshop on Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT), cosponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. This workshop is an important effort to identify challenges and promote public health in relation to the serious health affects due to deep vein thrombosis.