Peripheral Vascular Disease Questions
As previously researched, PVD is the most common disease of the arteries and affects millions of Americans. NorthShore University HealthySystem held a PVD online live chat and discussed some of the questions about PVD.
What are the primary symptoms of the disease?
It depends on where there is an arterial blockage. Commonly when it occurs in the legs it can cause symptoms of pain and cramping in the muscles when walking, in the calves thighs and buttocks. It can also cause hip pain which is commonly mistaken for arthritis. PAD can cause erectile dysfunction in men, blockages in the kidney arteries, difficult to control high blood pressure and poor kidney function. Also, blockages of the carotid artery can lead to stroke or ‘mini strokes.’
Is PVD a genetic disease? If so, are there any tests to see if I’m at risk?
That’s a great question, there is definitely a genetic predisposition to arterial disease and the risk factors that cause it. There have been certain genetic abnormalities that have been identified. However, at present, there are no widely available tests to look for genetic risk factors. This is an area of very active research and I expect there will be tests available within the next five years.
What kind of tests are there to diagnose PVD, are they invasive?
There are multiple ways to diagnose PVD. PVD can be easily diagnosed often on the basis of a physical examintion. Also, PAD or PVD can be diagnosed by a non-invasive ultrasound. More recently imaging with CT scans and magnetic resonance angiograms have begun to provide fantastic non-invasive imaging of arteries and veins. Invasive diagnosis is usually the last imaging test to be performed.
For the full transcript of the chat, visit NorthShore’s online chat pages
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