How to Find a PAD Doctor
When looking for a PAD doctor, you should know the risks of the disease, as well as your symptoms and medications. Your family history of heart and blood vessel disease should also be discussed. In addition, your doctor may check for weak pulses in the feet or legs. Patients with more severe symptoms will need to undergo invasive procedures to treat the condition. Luckily, there are many ways to find a doctor with a great reputation for treating this condition.
A PAD diagnosis can be tricky, so a specialist may be necessary to make sure. The doctor can check blood pressure using the ankle-brachial index, which compares the blood pressure in the ankle to the blood pressure in the arm. The test is useful in determining if plaque is blocking the arteries. It also can be done using an X-ray imaging device to visualize the blood flow in the legs. You should see a PAD doctor if you feel any of these symptoms, or if you suspect that you may have this condition.
PAD symptoms may occur even when you’re at rest. Your legs may look shiny or your toenails may grow slowly. Physicians also check for color changes. Patients with PAD may have white or purplish legs due to impaired blood flow. Symptoms may not be immediately evident, but may include pain while walking, swelling, and dangling legs. Your feet may also appear pale or bluish. The doctor may recommend undergoing a foot exam to determine whether you have PAD.
Angioplasty is the most common type of PAD doctor treatment. This procedure allows your doctor to bypass a narrowed artery and restore blood flow to the affected limb. Bypass grafting may be necessary for some people, but is not a cure for PAD. The surgery may increase the blood flow to a limb. Atherectomy involves the removal of a buildup of plaque. A small device is inserted through a catheter into the blocked artery and shaves or cuts the plaque. The bits are then washed out of the bloodstream.
Treatment for PAD includes reducing the risk of heart attacks and strokes, improving mobility, and preventing complications. A physician with expertise in this condition may recommend lifestyle changes, exercise, or medications to manage your other health conditions. Surgical bypass amputation is only necessary in the most severe cases. If you don’t respond to any of these treatment options, you should consult with a PAD doctor as soon as possible. When medical management fails, a surgery may be necessary.
Treatment options for PAD differ greatly, but there are some basic criteria that can help identify which patients have PAD and which should be treated differently. The American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) defines four categories of PAD presentation. Patients in the asymptomatic stage do not show typical claudication symptoms, which indicates the presence of atherosclerosis and warrants risk reduction strategies to reduce cardiovascular risk factors. Symptomatic PAD patients experience fatigue, pain, or cramps in their calves, and this should be investigated immediately.
For the best PAD doctors in Fort Collins, visit APEX Endovascular at 1355 Riverside Ave, Suite D Fort Collins, CO 80524.