Free
screenings fight cause of 50% of Diabetic amputations
Newswise — September is the kick-off
of the Legs For Life® free
national screening program for early detection of peripheral
arterial disease (PAD) to prevent amputation, heart attack and
stroke. Although 10 million Americans have PAD, diabetics are at
highest risk with one in three over age 50 affected. PAD is
“hardening of the arteries” in the legs most often due to
atherosclerosis that occurs when “plaque” builds up inside the
arteries causing them to clog and narrow.
People with diabetes are especially susceptible to PAD because
diabetes affects every vascular bed in the body and it increases the
risk for accelerated atherogenesis—the formation of plaque build-up
in the lining of the arteries—which puts 18.2 million Americans with
diabetes at risk.
Because atherosclerosis is a systemic disease, people with PAD are
likely to have blocked arteries in other areas of their body. Over
time, the plaque builds up in the arteries and blocks the smaller
arteries first, such as in the legs. This causes decreased blood
flow to the legs, which can result in pain when walking, and
eventually gangrene and amputation.
Eventually the larger arteries, such as those in the heart or the
carotid artery to the brain, become blocked as well. Thus, PAD in
the legs is an early warning for future life-threatening vascular
disease. “If undetected, peripheral arterial disease can lead to
amputation and increase a person’s risk of having a heart attack and
stroke. The progression of PAD results in death for about one-third
of patients,” explained interventional radiologist and Legs For Life
Chair Harvey Wiener, DO.
Due to the vascular damage caused by the progression of diabetes,
more than 50 percent of diabetic PAD patients are asymptomatic and
cannot feel the classic warning sign of PAD – intermittent
claudication, or leg pain that occurs when walking or exercising and
disappears when the person stops the activity. “Screening is
essential because one-third of diabetics have peripheral arterial
disease, but most do not present classic symptoms—and by the time
they do notice they have a problem, they are often facing
amputation, kidney damage, or stroke,” says Wiener. “Diabetics and
their physicians need to get in the habit of an annual ABI test to
look for PAD. We want diabetics to know their ABI number the way
they know their blood sugar number—both can save their life.”
During the Legs For Life screening, an ankle brachial index (ABI)
test is used to detect PAD. This quick, painless test 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. Additionally during Legs For Life, interventional
radiologists screen for related vascular diseases, including
abdominal aortic aneurysm, and carotid artery disease that can lead
to stroke.
Get Tested If You:
* Have diabetes
* Have ever smoked or smoke now
* Are over age 50
* Have a family history of vascular disease, such as PAD, aneurysm,
heart attack or stroke
* Have high cholesterol or a high lipid blood test
* Are overweight
* Have an inactive lifestyle
* Have a personal history of high blood pressure, heart disease, or
other vascular disease
* Have cramping or tiredness in the muscle when walking or
exercising, which is relieved by resting
* Have pain in the legs or feet that awakens you at night
About Treatment for Peripheral Arterial Disease
Often, PAD can be treated with lifestyle changes. Smoking cessation,
a structured exercise program, and medication are often all that is
needed to alleviate symptoms and prevent further progression of the
disease. “With early detection, patients could be sent to an
interventional radiologist sooner so we could intervene to slow
progression of the disease, and offer much less invasive treatment
options, saving patients from amputation,” says Wiener. If further
intervention is needed, interventional radiologists can perform
nonsurgical angioplasty to open the blocked artery in the leg and
restore blood flow. Although most people associate angioplasty with
coronary disease, angioplasty and the catheter-delivered stent were
invented by interventional radiologists 31 years ago to treat PAD.
About the Society of Interventional Radiology Foundation
The SIR Foundation is a scientific foundation dedicated to fostering
research and education in interventional radiology for the purposes
of advancing scientific knowledge, increasing the number of skilled
investigators in interventional radiology, and developing innovative
therapies that lead to improved patient care and quality of life.
Interventional radiologists are vascular experts who specialize in
minimally invasive, targeted treatments performed using imaging to
guide them. These physicians are board-certified in both Vascular &
Interventional Radiology and Diagnostic Radiology.
About Legs For Life
Legs For Life is the largest, longest running and most inclusive
national vascular disease screening program in the United States.
The program has been held annually since 1998 in September, which is
Vascular Disease Awareness Month. Nearly 322,000 people have been
screened to date for PAD, with one in four found to be at risk for
the disease. Legs For Life is a program of the SIR Foundation.
Collaborating organizations include the American Diabetes
Association, the American Radiological Nurses Association, the
American Heart Association’s Council on Cardiovascular Radiology and
Intervention, and the Society for Vascular Nursing.
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