PERIPHERAL ARTERIAL DUPLEX ASSESSMENT, PROTOCOLS, AND INTERPRETATION

Course overview

PERIPHERAL ARTERIAL DISEASE (PAD) IS A COMMON CONDITION THAT TYPICALLY AFFECTS THE LOWER EXTREMITIES. PAD IS CAUSED BY ATHEROSCLEROSIS IN THE ABDOMINAL AORTA, ILIAC ARTERIES, AND ARTERIES OF THE LOWER EXTREMITY. THE PRIMARY RISK FACTORS FOR PAD ARE HYPERTENSION, DIABETES, ADVANCING AGE, AND TOBACCO USE. DUPLEX ULTRASONOGRAPHY IS COMMONLY PERFORMED AND INTERPRETED ALONGSIDE LIMB-PRESSURE MEASUREMENTS TO DETERMINE THE EXTENT OF ATHEROSCLEROSIS IN PERIPHERAL ARTERIES. BY COMBINING THESE RESULTS, HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS CAN ASSESS ARTERIAL HEMODYNAMICS AND FUNCTIONAL IMPAIRMENT IN PATIENTS WITH PAD. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE ASSESSMENT, PROTOCOLS, AND INTERPRETATION OF DUPLEX ULTRASONOGRAPHY IN THE EVALUATION OF PAD AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN CARING FOR AND IMPROVING OUTCOMES FOR PATIENTS WITH PAD.