Northwest Health – La Porte now offers a screening to detect peripheral artery disease (PAD) and it is available for community members who are most at risk for the disease. PAD is a circulatory problem in which narrowed arteries reduce blood flow to a person’s limbs, which in turn raises their risk for coronary artery disease, heart attack and stroke. According to the National Institutes of Health, one in 20 Americans over the age of 50 has PAD, but its symptoms are often mistaken for something else and goes undiagnosed.
For the screening, members of the Northwest Health cardiovascular team will use an ankle-brachial index test (ABI), which is the most commonly used diagnostic test for PAD. It is a noninvasive test that measures the blood pressure in the ankles and compares it to the blood pressure in the arms to check the circulation in a person’s legs.
This free PAD screening, is for people who can answer YES to two of the following questions:
- Are you over the age of 50?
- How you been diagnosed with diabetes?
- Do you smoke?
- Do you have high cholesterol?
- Have you been diagnosed with hypertension?
- Have you ever been diagnosed with hardening/blockage of the arteries?
If eligible, call 219-344-6323 Monday through Friday to schedule your free PAD screening.
