Diabetics 50 and older urged to take test for leg disease
Call comes during 'Older Americans Month' in May
According to the American Podiatric Medical Association, most Americans log about 75,000 miles on their feet by the time they reach the age of 50. This year specialists are urging every diabetic over age 50 to get tested for peripheral arterial disease (PAD), a serious condition that could lead to amputation or death.
"It's estimated that eight million people have peripheral arterial disease and diabetics are especially at risk for this illness that narrows leg arteries and reduces blood flow," says Becky Cross, program director of the Battle Creek Health System Wound Healing Center & Hyperbaric Medicine unit, which specializes in diabetic foot ulcers and disease management. "People with PAD are six times more likely to have a heart attack or stroke than others, and if left untreated, PAD can lead to gangrene and amputation. Yet, the test for PAD is easy, painless, and there are several treatment options available. Every diabetic should ask to be tested now and then again every five years."
Since nearly half of all diabetes cases occur in people age 55 and older, the call for testing has been renewed this month, designated as Older American Month by the Administration of Aging, a division of the U.S. Department of Heath and Human Services.
The recommended test for PAD is the ankle brachial index performed by placing blood pressure cuffs on the patient's ankles and arms. PAD may be indicated if the ankle reading is significantly lower than the arm blood pressure measurement.
The Vascular Disease Foundation praises the test for being extremely reliable but cautions that some people with long-standing diabetes, kidney disease or rigid blood vessels may need to undergo other tests. Most are non-invasive using a combination of blood pressure cuffs, waveform analysis, ultrasound, infrared light, or in some cases arteriography.
PAD affects slightly more men than women and risk factors for contracting the disease include being 50 years of age or older, smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, living with diabetes for more than a decade, a family history of cardiovascular disease, or the presence of a high level of the amino acid homocysteine in the blood.
Symptoms of PAD include cramping leg muscles when walking or a numbness, weakness or heaviness in the muscles. In more severe cases, PAD can contribute to chronic toe and foot sores although many people with PAD never experience any symptoms.
Treatment of the disease includes making changes in lifestyle to reduce risk, exercise to improve circulation, drugs to reduce blood pressure or thin the blood, physical therapy, improved foot care and, in extreme cases, surgery.
Partnered with National Healing, the Battle Creek Health System Wound Healing Center specializes in the treatment of chronic wounds and non-responsive conditions and offers hospital-based outpatient wound care and hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
If you are suffering from a non-healing wound, PAD could be the cause. For more information on treating wounds and infections, call the Battle Creek Health System Wound Healing Center at (269) 966-8560.
Battle Creek Health System, sponsored by two parent organizations--Trinity Health (the fourth largest Catholic health system in the U.S. with 12 hospitals, 9 nursing homes, 19 senior house facilities, 8 home health care agencies, and 4 hospices in Michigan alone) and BCHS Community Partners, is accredited by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. Battle Creek Health System as a recipient of the 2008 HealthGrades Orthopaedic Surgery Excellence Award(tm). HealthGrades is a leading health care information company that provides objective 'report card' ratings nationwide. BCHS provides excellent health care for the community and promotes wellness for the whole person with access and compassion for all. For the latest medical information, visit the BCHS web site at www.bchealth.com or call the BCHS Marketing Department at (269) 966-8132.
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