Campaign aims to detect problems in leg arteries

To detect PVD, first Elliot Galloway's arm blood pressure is taken by nurse Scott Johns

By Helyn Trickey
CNN.com Interactivity Editor

ATLANTA (CNN) -- Peripheral Vascular Disease (PVD) affects more than 8 million people nationwide, and nearly 3 million of those have no early warning symptoms. In an effort to boost awareness of this potentially fatal disease, the Society of Cardiovascular & Interventional Radiology (SCVIR) is offering free screenings nationwide for at-risk patients through September 23.

The screening program, dubbed "Legs for Life 2000," aims to take thousands of patients through an easy 10-minute exam that includes a consultation with a physician and, if necessary, a referral to a primary care doctor for follow-up care.

PVD, a disease common in people age 50 and older, is caused by blocked blood flow to the arteries in the legs. The blockage is largely caused by arteriosclerosis, or a hardening and thickening of artery walls. Patients may have difficulty walking due to pain and swelling in the lower extremities, and some may experience numbness and skin discoloration.

In its final stages, PVD sufferers may experience non-healing wounds that can lead to limb amputation.

"The irony here is that most people do not fear it," says Dr. Steve Citron, an Interventional Radiologist in Atlanta, Georgia. "It is a cause for concern. Of those people with PVD only 10 percent ever receive treatment," he says.

Those most at risk include diabetics, people who smoke, people who lead sedentary lifestyles and those who suffer from high blood pressure and/or high cholesterol levels.

Citron advises anyone at risk for PVD to stop smoking immediately. "Smoking elevates the risk of PVD by five times over non-smokers," he says.

Taking the fear out of screening

Elliot Galloway, 79, of Atlanta worried he might have PVD after he started experiencing lower leg pain while resting.

After filling out a questionnaire detailing his risk factors at a free screening in Atlanta, he completed a 10-minute exam where his blood pressure was taken in both his legs and arms and then compared.

Because Galloway is a runner who logs nearly an hour per day on the road, he has few, if any, of the risk factors associated with the disease. Citron reviewed his test results and was relieved to hear from Galloway that the aching he complains of is present only when the athlete is at rest.

Pain during exercise may be an indicator that a blocked artery is being overtaxed, Citron says. Luckily, Galloway's blood pressure tests show his leg blood pressure is higher than his arm blood pressure and Citron determines he is not at risk for PVD.

"Smoking elevates the risk of PVD by five times over non-smokers," -- Dr. Steve Citron

"It feels great to know everything is OK," says the sprightly Galloway. "I am going to go out and run right now."

If detected early, most patients can make significant health improvements with dietary changes and repetitive exercises where the legs are used.

"Many choose to walk," says Citron. "I advise people to walk until you feel a little pain in your legs and then walk just a little bit further." By testing exercise limits and setting little goals, Citron says more progress will be made quickly.

If exercise and dietary changes are not enough to change the course of PVD, several other treatment options including "clot-busting" medications and angioplasty are available.

"The less invasive the treatment, the better for the patient," says Citron.

More and more, Interventional Radiologists like Citron treat PVD patients because of their ability to use minimally invasive procedures.

"It is like doing surgery from the inside," he says. Using small tubes and catheters along with imagery like ultrasound and CAT scans, physicians can now treat PVD on an outpatient basis, an especially important consideration for the older patient.

For more Health news, myCNN will bring you news from the areas and subjects you select.

Legs For Life -- National Screening
Society of Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiology
Vascular Surgery Society
Cardiology Associates of Fort Lauderdale -- Peripheral Vascular Disease

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