|
E-mail this page to a friend!
Senior Citizen Health & Medicine
Senior Citizens Should Not Ignore Leg Pain that
Could be PAD
Aching leg can be warning of a serious
cardiovascular condition
By Dr. Scott Hannum,
Osceoloa Regional Medical Center
May 23, 2007 - Aches and pains are an unfortunate
yet familiar element of aging, however, it is important to recognize
that pain and discomfort shouldnt be ignored - even for aging
individuals. Often times peripheral pain signifies a serious medical
condition.
Peripheral artery disease, referred to as PAD, is
an increasing concern for aging adults. Often debilitating, the disease
affects nearly 12 million people in the United States yet 75% suffer
undiagnosed.
Too often the symptoms of this disease are brushed
off as part of the typical aging process. Recognizing the signs and
symptoms of PAD and seeking treatment is critical; patients diagnosed
with PAD are at significantly increased risk for heart attack and
stroke.
PAD occurs when blockages build up within the leg
arteries. The build-up is comprised of plaque, which forms from fats,
cholesterol and other deposits. When the plaque accumulates it blocks
the flow of blood through the legs and feet leading to numbness and
tingling sensations, pain, skin discoloration, sores that do not heal
and difficulty walking.
Left untreated this condition can progress to
gangrenous sores and possibly amputation.
The populations at highest risk for PAD include
anyone over the age of 50, those with coronary artery disease,
diabetics, smokers, obese, overweight and inactive individuals. Anyone
who falls into an at-risk category and notices potential symptoms should
request a simple screening from their physician.
Physicians utilize a straightforward, non-invasive
test called the Ankle Brachial Index, or ABI, to diagnose PAD. An ABI
simply takes blood pressure readings from the leg and the arm while the
patient is at rest allowing the physician to determine if there is
adequate blood flow to the legs.
Once a physician diagnoses PAD, the treatment
options vary from prescription drugs to interventional procedures
ranging from invasive bypass surgery to balloon angioplasty and
non-invasive excimer laser ablation.
One procedure that is commonly used is excimer
laser ablation, a minimally invasive procedure that effectively clears
arterial blockages. This procedure requires the entry of a catheter into
the body. Patients remain awake during the procedure with local
anesthesia. Commonly, the physician enters the artery through the groin
area and advances a small catheter to the blockage in the leg.
Physicians use angiogram images from an x-ray
device to see blockages and blood flow through the arteries.
Angiographic images guide the physician to the plaque and aid in
directing the excimer laser through the ablation.
The excimer laser then emits cool, pulsed bursts of
ultraviolet light into the blockage. This ultraviolet light dissolves
the arterial plaque without harming healthy tissue. The plaque is
vaporized using cool, blue laser light as the catheter moves slowly
though the blockage reducing it to tiny particles that are absorbed into
the blood stream. This process is called photoablation. Final
angiographic results are used to determine the amount of blood flow
restored after the procedure.
Excimer laser ablation procedures are typically
completed within one to two hours and require only moments of laser use.
Recovery time is typically one to two days and most patients leave the
hospital pain-free within hours after the completion of the procedure.
Laser ablation used in the treatment of peripheral
artery disease has proven to be clinically successful with limbs saved
in up to 95 percent of patients studied and has been used as a safe,
effective treatment method for more than 15 years.
No one should suffer from PAD in silence. Simple
screening tests and minimally-invasive treatment options can quickly
address the problem before a patients quality of life is drastically
impactedearly diagnosis is critical. For those suffering from pain or
numbness in the legs and feet, seek diagnosis and intervention from a
physician. There is no need to suffer in silence.
About the Author
Dr. Scott Hannum practices vascular surgery at the
Osceola Regional Medical Centers Wound Care Clinic in Kissimmee,
Florida. For more information, call 407-518-4982 or visit
www.spectranetics.com.
Click to More Senior News on the
Front Page
Copyright: SeniorJournal.com |
