NIH Radio
P.A.D. — Heart Disease That "Hits Below the Belt"
Brief Description:
NHLBI launches awareness campaign to combat peripheral arterial disease.
Transcript:
Schmalfeldt: You might think it's just a sign that you're no longer a spring chicken. That heavy feeling in your legs when you walk. Or it could be a cramping in your leg muscles that goes away as soon as you take a load off of your feet. You don't give it any thought, because, what the heck? You're getting older, right? And as soon as you rest up a bit, the discomfort is gone. Well, that might not be a sign of advancing age. In fact, that's a symptom of a disease affecting more than eight million men and women that could lead to heart attack, stroke or other complications. It's called "peripheral arterial disease" or "PAD". That's a condition that occurs when arteries — particularly those in the lower legs, become clogged with fatty deposits that limit blood flow. Just like clogged arteries in the heart, having clogged arteries in the legs increases the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Hirsch: PAD is, I think, the single-most important cardiovascular disease that the public has not heard of.
Schmalfeldt: That was Doctor Alan Hirsch, a professor of epidemiology and community health at the University of Minneapolis School of Public Health. He's chair of the PAD Coalition. Dr. Hirsch said people who have the symptoms I described earlier would be well advised to check with their health care providers, as far too often PAD is left untreated until it's at its most severe. Now, the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute at the National Institutes of Health has teamed up with the PAD Coalition to launch an awareness campaign called, "Stay in Circulation: Take Steps to Learn about PAD." They encourage folks over age 50 to be alert to PAD symptoms and to talk to their doctors about the risks. Dr. Hirsch said establishing a diagnosis is relatively easy.
Hirsch: There is a simple test called the ankle brachial index or ABI for short. And the ABI is a simple comparison of the blood pressure in the ankle and the arm using an ultrasound device. It's painless, it's inexpensive, and actually can be conveniently performed with ability to accurately form the diagnosis. So no individual with PAD or who's at risk of PAD needs to fear the testing that easily establishes the diagnosis.
Schmalfeldt: Dr. Hirsch referred to PAD as heart disease "that hits below the belt" since nearly one in four persons diagnosed with PAD could suffer a heart attack, stroke or amputation within five years after diagnosis, although those numbers can be modified by treatment of the disease.
Hirsch: There are three main approaches, and they include changes to lifestyle — heart healthy behaviors, such as immediately quitting smoking, lowering one's blood cholesterol, improving one's blood pressure and blood sugar numbers if someone has diabetes, and again, eating a healthy diet and fostering good physical activity. But like other diseases, there are specific medications that can help accomplish the goals, that lower the blood pressure, cholesterol, and improve diabetes or improve walking for those who have leg symptoms. And a smaller number of individuals can certainly achieve great help by procedures like angioplasty, stents or bypass graft surgery.
Schmalfeldt: People most at risk for PAD include those over 50 — especially African Americans, as well as folks who smoke or have a history of smoking, those with diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or those with a personal or family history of other vascular disease such as heart attack or stroke. To get more information about the "Stay in Circulation" campaign, visit www.aboutpad.org. From the National Institutes of Health, I'm Bill Schmalfeldt in Bethesda, Maryland.
About This Audio Report
Date: 9/15/2006
Reporter: Bill Schmalfeldt
Sound Bite: Dr. Alan Hirsch
Topic: Peripheral Arterial Disease, PAD
Institute(s): NHLBI
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