Don’t Assume Each Ache And Pain Is “Old Age”

Who: Some symptoms are typically dismissed as signs of getting older, such as pain in the legs
while walking that subsides at rest, numbness and tingling in the lower legs and feet, coldness
in the lower legs and feet, and ulcers or sores on the legs or feet that don’t heal. These
symptoms could be a warning sign of something much more serious, Peripheral Arterial
Disease (PAD). PAD is a common condition affecting 12-20 percent of Americans age 65 and
older. It develops mostly as a result of atherosclerosis, or “hardening of the arteries,” which
occurs when cholesterol and scar tissue build up, forming a substance called plaque that
narrows and clogs the arteries and slows blood flow to the legs. “Early detection and
management of peripheral arterial disease, or PAD, can prevent the progression of the disease
which can often lead to painful walking, gangrene, amputation, heart attack or stroke,” states
Harvey Wiener, DO, Legs For Life® Chair.

What: Free testing will be available for PAD. A simple and painless test, the ankle brachial index
(ABI), compares the blood pressure in the legs to the blood pressure in the arms to determine
how well the blood is flowing and if further tests are needed.

When: In September, during Vascular Disease Awareness Month, the Legs For Life® campaign will
establish screening sites for people to find out if they are at risk.

Why: With more than 50 percent of PAD patients asymptomatic or with atypical symptoms,
screening is essential for diagnosis. Get tested if you:

– Have cramping in your leg when walking or exercising, that is relieved by resting
– Are over age 50
– Have high cholesterol, a high lipid blood test or high blood pressure
– Have a family history of vascular disease, such as PAD, aneurysm, heart attack or
stroke
– Have diabetes
– Smoke now or have ever smoked
– Are African-American
– Are overweight

Where: Hundreds of screening locations across the country can be found at LegsForLife,
along with disease fact sheets. Note: Screenings are free, but conducted by appointment.

About Legs for Life

Legs For Life® has been sponsored annually by the Society of Interventional Radiology Foundation since
September 1998. It is the largest, longest running, and most inclusive national vascular disease screening
program in the U.S. Nearly 322,000 people have been screened to date, with one in four found to be at risk
for PAD. Select sites will also screen for abdominal aortic aneurysm, stroke risk and venous disease.

The Society of Interventional Radiology is a founding partner of the PAD Coalition which,
along with the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), has launched a national
three-year PAD awareness campaign in September called “Stay in Circulation.

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