In-Office Vascular Testing

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is the buildup of plaque and cholesterol in the arteries of the lower extremities. The buildup decreases blood flow to the feet and legs. Over 10 million Americans (the majority over the age of 50) have PAD. Without proper treatment, it can lead to a stroke or heart attack. Additionally, the resulting poor circulation can lead to limb loss.

Approximately 80% of patients are not aware they have PAD (and patients with diabetes are five times more likely to have this condition).

PAD can present as symptoms of painful legs, getting tired quickly, problems walking long distances due to leg cramps. "Charlie horses" may be caused by vascular disease.

Dr. Paukovitz and Dr. Crabtree can help with your leg discomfort. When looking for PAD, each foot is checked for proper pulses and normal blood flow.

If PAD was suspected in the past, the patient was referred to a vascular specialist, but at Alpine Podiatry Center, we can perform a convenient in-office vascular test. It takes approximately 15-20 minutes and is non-invasive.

An ankle brachial index (ABI) is performed using blood pressure cuffs on the arm and leg and a Doppler probe to hear the pulse in the foot. The blood pressures of the arm and leg are compared. If the leg pressure is as little as 10% below the arm pressure, PAD is a possibility, and then, a referral to a specialist may be warranted.