Life style changes are important in preventing many diseases. All over the world doctors are putting more and more emphasis on lifestyle changes. Though in India it is yet not stressed upon as it should be. PAD is one such condition where exercise and cessation of smoking can improve the disease.

      Team@CMHF

The American College of Cardiology Foundation, American Heart Association and other collaborating societies have released an updated guideline for the diagnosis and management of patients with peripheral artery disease.

While there have been progressive improvements in PAD care, it appears that even simple ‘intervention,’ like appropriate prescription of smoking cessation and exercise, are not utilized by clinicians, health care systems and payers.

One focus of the guideline is expanded criteria for using the ankle-brachial index (ABI) for earlier diagnosis. The experts recommend lowering the age at which ABI diagnostic testing should be performed in the practice setting from aged 70 years or older to 65 years or older. This decision was based on mounting evidence demonstrating that people aged 65 years and older have a one in five chance of having either symptomatic or asymptomatic PAD.

Smoking cessation and 325 mg aspirin per day are suggested for patients with lower-extremity PAD.

Leg artery angioplasty is the first-line treatment for carefully selected patients in order to prolong amputation-free survival and overall survival. Open vascular surgery may be more durable and most effective, according to the guideline.

The guideline focused on new data showing that aortic aneurysms can be safely treated by both methods with nearly equal efficacy and safety.

Reference: http://www.cardiologytoday.com/view.aspx?rid=88588