PERIPHERAL ARTERIAL DUPLEX ASSESSMENT, PROTOCOLS, AND INTERPRETATION

Course overview

PERIPHERAL ARTERIAL DISEASE(PAD) AFFECTS APPROXIMATELY 12% OF THE ADULT POPULATION, WITH EQUAL PREVALENCE AMONG MEN AND WOMEN. PAD WHICH IS MORE COMMON IN THE LOWER LIMBS, COMPRISES ATHEROSCLEROSIS AFFECTING THE ABDOMINAL AORTA, ILIAC AND LOWER EXTREMITY ARTERIES. THE MAIN RISK FACTORS ARE DIABETES, ADVANCED AGE, AND CIGARETTE SMOKING. DUPLEX IMAGING OF PERIPHERAL ARTERIES IS ROUTINELY PERFORMED TO IDENTIFY THE ATHEROSCLEROTIC BURDEN OF THESE ARTERIES. DUPLEX TESTING RESULTS ARE MOSTLY INTERPRETED IN CONJUNCTION WITH LIMB-PRESSURE MEASUREMENTS. THE COMBINATION OF DUPLEX RESULTS AND LIMB PRESSURE MEASUREMENTS OPTIMALLY CATEGORIZES ARTERIAL HEMODYNAMICS AND FUNCTIONAL IMPAIRMENT. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE ASSESSMENT, PROTOCOL, AND INTERPRETATION OF DUPLEX IMAGING OF PERIPHERAL ARTERIES AND HIGHLIGHTS THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM’S ROLE IN EVALUATING AND TREATING PATIENTS WITH PAD.