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Hardening of the Arteries in the Leg Is a Red Flag for Vascular Disease
Hardening of the Arteries in the Leg Is a Red Flag for Vascular Disease -- Posted by Gumbo on 11-26-04 08:13
Hardening of the Arteries in the Leg Is a Red Flag for Vascular Disease
Hardening of the Arteries in the Leg Is a Red Flag for Vascular Disease
Source: Society of Interventional Radiology (SIR)
NEWSWISE Medical News, 12-Nov-2004 --
Peripheral arterial disease (PAD), hardening of the arteries in the leg, is
a marker for premature cardiovascular events and vascular-related death. The
November issue of the Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology
includes a comprehensive review of this disease that affects more than 10
million Americans, as well as a comprehensive treatment plan for all types
of PAD patients.
PAD develops most commonly as a result of atherosclerosis, or "hardening of
the arteries," which occurs when cholesterol and scar tissue build up,
forming a substance called plaque inside the arteries that narrows and clogs
the arteries. Because atherosclerosis is a systemic disease, people with PAD
are likely to have blocked arteries in other areas of the body. Thus, people
with PAD are at increased risk for heart disease, aortic aneurysms and
stroke. PAD is also a marker for diabetes, hypertension and other
conditions.
Efforts on a national level to improve the awareness of PAD among patients
and caregivers alike are critical to prevent premature death and impaired
quality of life among this expanding group of patients.
As baby boomers continue to age, the number of those affected by PAD will
continue to increase. Research shows that the prevalence of PAD increases
10-fold from men aged 30-44 to men aged 65-74 and almost 20-fold in women of
the same ages.
As patients age, many of them dismiss one of the most common symptoms of
PAD, known as claudication, as part of the "normal" aches and pains of
aging. Intermittent claudication is leg pain that occurs when walking or
exercising and disappears when the person stops the activity. Other symptoms
of PAD include numbness and tingling in the lower legs and feet, coldness in
the lower legs and feet, and ulcers or sores on the legs or feet that don??t
heal.
With more than 50 percent of PAD patients asymptomatic or with atypical
symptoms, screening is essential for diagnosis. The ankle brachial index
(ABI) test is a painless test that compares the blood pressure in the legs
to the blood pressure in the arms to determine how well the blood is flowing
and whether further tests are needed.
Once PAD is diagnosed, the goals of therapy for patients with PAD are to
prevent systemic atherosclerotic disease progression and clinical
cardiovascular events, prevent limb loss, and improve functional status of
patients with intermittent claudication (pain when walking that stops during
rest).1. Smoking cessation2. Physical activity3. Dietary modification4.
Weight maintenance or reduction with target body mass index and waist
circumference 5. Blood pressure control6. Modification of elevated total and
LDL-cholesterol levels7. Antiplatelet therapy8. ACE inhibitor therapy9.
Glycemic control in patients with diabetes mellitus
Interventional radiologists are doctors who specialize in minimally
invasive, targeted treatments that have less risk, less pain and less
recovery time compared to open surgery. They use their expertise in
interpreting X-rays, ultrasound, MRI and other diagnostic imaging studies to
understand, visualize and diagnose the full scope of the disease??s
pathology and to map out the procedure tailored to the individual patient.
Then during the procedure, they image as they go to guide tiny instruments,
such as catheters, through blood vessels or skin, to treat diseases at the
site of the illness non surgically. IRs pioneered angioplasty and stenting,
which was first performed to treat peripheral arterial disease to prevent
amputation.
Interventional radiology is a recognized medical specialty by the American
Board of Medical Specialties. Interventional radiologists are
board-certified in diagnostic radiology and fellowship-trained in vascular
and interventional radiology. The American Board of Radiology certifies
their specialized training.
More information can be found at http://www.SIRweb.org. Visit
http://www.JVIR.org to view the article.
A targeted newswire featuring breaking medical news stories from over 200
leading academic and research institutions including: Johns Hopkins,
Stanford, Harvard, and the Mayo Clinic.
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