SUBCLAVIAN ARTERY STENOSIS

Course overview

SUBCLAVIAN ARTERY STENOSIS IS A FORM OF PERIPHERAL ARTERIAL DISEASE (PAD). IT MAY PRESENT WITH TRANSIENT EPISODES OF VERTIGO AND CIRCULATORY SYMPTOMS INVOLVING THE ARMS AND HANDS. PHYSICAL EXAMINATION MAY DEMONSTRATE A WEAK PULSE IN ONE UPPER EXTREMITY AND A SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE DIFFERENCE OF MORE THAN 10 MILLIMETERS OF MERCURY (MMHG) BETWEEN THE CONTRALATERAL LEFT AND RIGHT UPPER EXTREMITIES. THE AFFECTED HAND MAY FEEL COOL TO TOUCH, AND IN SEVERE CASES, DIGITAL ISCHEMIA HAS BEEN DESCRIBED. OFTEN PATIENTS PRESENT DURING THEIR SIXTH OR SEVENTH DECADES OF LIFE, AND THEY OFTEN HAVE ASSOCIATED PERIPHERAL ARTERIAL DISEASE RISK FACTORS SUCH AS SMOKING, DIABETES MELLITUS, HYPERLIPIDEMIA, HYPERTENSION, LOWER-EXTREMITY PERIPHERAL ARTERIAL ARTERY DISEASE, AND LESS COMMON INHERITED GENETIC DISORDERS SUCH AS INFLAMMATORY OR TAKAYASU ARTERITIS. THIS ACTIVITY ILLUSTRATES THE EVALUATION AND TREATMENT OF SUBCLAVIAN ARTERY STENOSIS AND REVIEWS THE ROLE OF INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM MEMBERS IN MANAGING THOSE WITH THIS CONDITION.