Your circulatory system includes arteries that carry freshly oxygenated blood from your heart to the rest of your body, including your abdominal organs, arms, and legs. These are peripheral arteries, which are vital to your overall health.
Our team at Premier Cardiology Consultants in New Hyde Park, Jamaica, and Forest Hills, New York, offers various services to calculate heart health and develop personalized treatment plans to help prevent heart attack, stroke, and other serious problems. One such service includes assessing blood flow through peripheral arteries.
Peripheral artery disease (PAD) screening is quick and essentially painless, but the information gained is invaluable to your cardiovascular health. Learn more about this simple test and why it’s recommended.
PAD causes narrowing of the peripheral arteries, most commonly those that supply the legs with oxygen and nutrients. PAD is usually due to a buildup of fatty deposits (atherosclerosis) but can also occur as a complication of inflamed or irritated blood vessels (vasculitis).
Left untreated, PAD can cause significant health problems, including:
Reduced blood flow can lead to sores, infections, or ulcers on the legs that don’t heal. In severe cases, tissue damage or gangrene can occur, which may require amputation.
PAD often indicates widespread atherosclerosis (plaque buildup in arteries), which can also affect coronary arteries, increasing the risk of heart attack.
Conversely, our cardiologists at Premier Cardiology Consultants typically recommend PAD screening for individuals diagnosed with heart disease to diagnose and treat plaque buildup in peripheral arteries.
Plaque buildup can impact the carotid arteries supplying blood to the brain, increasing stroke risk in PAD patients.
Reduced blood flow to your legs can impair wound healing and increase your susceptibility to infections and chronic ulcers, particularly on your feet.
One of the hallmark symptoms of PAD is claudication, which causes cramping pain in leg muscles during physical activity, including walking. This can limit mobility and affect your quality of life.
Medication, healthy lifestyle changes, and procedures like angioplasty can help manage PAD and lower the risk of these complications.
PAD screening involves noninvasive tests, such as:
This simple test compares the blood pressure readings in your arms to those in your ankles. If the ankle pressure is lower, it could indicate PAD.
This study uses ultrasound technology to visualize blood flow and identify blockages or narrowing in the arteries.
Some screenings include tests for cholesterol, glucose levels, and other markers associated with vascular disease.
If you experience symptoms during physical activity, your Premier Cardiology Consultants specialist may recommend an exercise stress test to evaluate blood flow in real time.
Certain groups of people are at higher risk of PAD and should consider screening:
Patients with symptoms of PAD, like leg pain during exercise (claudication), numbness, or coldness in the lower extremities, also benefit from PAD screening.
Schedule a visit at Premier Cardiology Consultants today by calling one of our New York locations.
