Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) can lead to difficulty when walking, pain in the extremities, slower healing, and, in more extreme cases, the loss of a limb. The American Heart Association requests that all patients who could be at risk for PAD should be tested. Our experienced foot care team at Sunshein Podiatry relies on advanced diagnostic technology to provide precise and personalized PAD treatment plans. We use Smart Ankle Brachial Index, also known as Smart ABI, to test and properly diagnose patients who could be at risk for PAD. Here's how it can help you or a loved one avoid future complications.
Why Should You Be Concerned About PAD?
This is a circulatory condition that occurs when narrowed or blocked arteries reduce blood flow to the limbs, most commonly the legs and feet. It's usually caused by a buildup of fatty deposits (plaque) in the arteries, a process known as atherosclerosis. Risk factors include:
- Diabetes
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Obesity
- Smoking
- Aging
- Radiation exposure
Because the arteries cannot deliver enough oxygen-rich blood to meet the body’s needs, tissues in the legs and feet may not function or heal properly.
Symptoms of PAD vary from mild to severe and may develop gradually. One of the most common signs is leg pain or cramping during walking or physical activity that improves with rest, a symptom known as claudication. Other symptoms include:
- Numbness or weakness in the legs
- Coldness in the lower leg or foot
- Slow-healing sores or wounds
- Changes in skin color
- Hair loss on the legs or feet
- Thickened toenails
In more advanced cases, pain may occur even at rest, signaling a serious reduction in blood flow that requires prompt medical attention. Without swift intervention, undiagnosed PAD can lead to:
- Critical limb ischemia. Often, this condition begins as open sores that aren’t healing, an infection of the feet or legs, or an injury. It occurs when the infections or injuries progress and cause tissue death, which can sometimes require amputation of the affected limb.
- Stroke or heart attack. Widespread arterial plaque buildup restricts blood flow or breaks loose and blocks the arteries supplying the heart or brain.
How Does Sunshein Podiatry Use Smart ABI to Determine PAD Risk?
The Smart ABI is a brief test that measures your ankle brachial index, or ABI. It also measures blood pressure in the ankle area, body mass index, and overall blood pressure. Then, one of our experienced podiatrists compares the blood pressure in your arm with that in your ankle. Your doctor uses a standard blood pressure cuff as well as a specialized ultrasound device to evaluate blood flow and pressure and obtain a reading. Before and immediately after, readings may be taken as you walk on a treadmill. This is done to capture the severity of the narrowed arteries during walking.
Once the study is conducted, the system generates a report for our physician to review and understand the bottom line. It includes intelligent, quantitative, and color-coded graphic scores that indicate a normal, borderline, or severe risk for PAD. We can then save this report as baseline data, which tracks trends for you either post-procedure or with medical management.
If you're managing diabetes, have previous lower limb trauma, or are concerned about how the other PAD risk factors may impact your health, consider the benefits of a comprehensive consultation at Sunshein Podiatry featuring a Smart ABI test to put your mind at ease, or provide you with the next steps to be more proactive about your foot care.