SUBCLAVIAN ARTERY THROMBOSIS

Course overview

SUBCLAVIAN ARTERY THROMBOSIS IS A COMMON CONDITION THAT IS FELT TO BE UNDERDIAGNOSED. IT INVOLVES OBSTRUCTION OF BLOOD FLOW THROUGH THE SUBCLAVIAN ARTERY AND IS FOUR TIMES MORE COMMON IN THE LEFT SUBCLAVIAN ARTERY THAN IN THE RIGHT. IT CAN CAUSE SIGNIFICANT ISCHEMIA OF THE BRAIN, UPPER EXTREMITIES, AND, OCCASIONALLY, THE HEART. THE INCIDENCE OF SUBCLAVIAN ARTERY THROMBOSIS IN PATIENTS WITH PERIPHERAL VASCULAR DISEASE IS APPROXIMATELY 11 TO 18%. LIKEWISE, THE PATIENT WITH SUBCLAVIAN ARTERY THROMBOSIS WILL HAVE A 50% CHANCE OF HAVING CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE, 27% FOR LOWER EXTREMITY ARTERY DISEASE, AND 29% FOR CAROTID ARTERY DISEASE. THIS ACTIVITY ILLUSTRATES THE EVALUATION AND TREATMENT OF SUBCLAVIAN ARTERY THROMBOSIS AND REVIEWS THE ROLE OF INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM MEMBERS IN MANAGING THOSE WITH THIS CONDITION.