Peripheral Arterial Disease - Presentation, Investigation & Therapy Flashcards
What are the main and less common causes of CLI (critical limb ischaemic) in the lower limbs?
(3)
Main: atherosclerosis of arteries
Less common: vasculitis, Buerger’s disease
What are the risk factors associated with CLI?
6
Male Age Smoking Hypercholesterolaemia Hypertension Diabetes
The sequence of progression with atherosclerosis is as follows:
Initial lesion - fatty streak - intermediate lesion - atheroma - fibroatheroma - complicated lesion
What happens in the initial lesion stage?
(3)
- macrophage infiltration
- isolated foamy cells
- growth mainly by lipid addition
The sequence of progression with atherosclerosis is as follows:
Initial lesion - fatty streak - intermediate lesion - atheroma - fibroatheroma - complicated lesion
What happens in the fatty streak stage?
(1)
- mainly just intracellular lipid accumulation
The sequence of progression with atherosclerosis is as follows:
Initial lesion - fatty streak - intermediate lesion - atheroma - fibroatheroma - complicated lesion
What happens in the intermediate lesion stage?
(2)
- continued intracellular lipid accumulation
- small extracellular lipid pools
The sequence of progression with atherosclerosis is as follows:
Initial lesion - fatty streak - intermediate lesion - atheroma - fibroatheroma - complicated lesion
What happens in the atheroma stage?
(2)
- continued intracellular lipid accumulation
- lipid core begins to develop from extracellular lipids
The sequence of progression with atherosclerosis is as follows:
Initial lesion - fatty streak - intermediate lesion - atheroma - fibroatheroma - complicated lesion
What happens in the fibroatheroma stage?
(3)
- there is now a single or multiple lipid core
- smooth muscle and collagen increases (main growth mechanism)
- fibrous/calcific cap formed around lipid core
The sequence of progression with atherosclerosis is as follows:
Initial lesion - fatty streak - intermediate lesion - atheroma - fibroatheroma - complicated lesion
What happens in the complicated lesion stage?
(3)
- surface defect
- haematoma/haemorrhage
- thrombosis
- rupture/embolism
What is stage I of the Fontaine Classification for chronic ischaemia?
Asymptomatic, incomplete blood vessel obstruction.
What is stage II of the Fontaine Classification for chronic ischaemia?
Mild claudication pain in limb.
What are the subclassifications of stage II?
IIA: claudication >200m walking
IIB: claudication <200m walking
What is stage III of the Fontaine Classification for chronic ischaemia?
Rest pain, mostly in the feet.
What is stage IV of the Fontaine Classification for chronic ischaemia?
Necrosis and/or gangrene of the limb.
Which stage(s) are considered to be CLI?
III & IV
What information should be gathered surrounding leg pain during a history?
Claudication:
- exercise tolerance
- effect of incline
- change over time
- relieved by rest
- location/bilateral
- character
Rest pain:
- character
- relief factors
What things should be considered/asked about during a past medical history for leg ischaemia?
(4)
- hypertension
- DM
- hypercholesterolaemia
- surgeries
What things should be considered/asked about during the social history for leg ischaemia?
(2)
- occupation
- smoking
What is an important step to take before carrying out a leg examination of suspected ischaemia?
expose both legs
What should you inspect for during a leg examination?
3
ulceration
pallor
hair loss
What should you palpate/feel for during a leg examination? (4)
Where should you start on the leg?
(3)
Start at the toes, comparing both sides
Temperature
Capillary refill time
Peripheral sensation
Pulses – start at the aorta
What should you auscultate for during a leg examination?
2
Using a hand held doppler, check the dorsalis pedis and posterior tibial pulses
Doppler auscultation over the dorsalis pedis will show what in healthy, more unhealthy and very unhealthy arteries?
healthy- triphasic nature
unhealthy- biphasib
very unhelathy- monophasic
What are the specialist tests carried out for chronic limb ischaemia?
(2)
Ankle Brachial Pressure Index
Buerger’s test
How do you calculate ABPI (ankle brachial pressure index)?
What is the normal threshold i.e. what does a low reading indicate?
ankle pressure divided by brachial pressure
threshold = 0.5
<0.5 = CLI
the smaller the value, the more severe
What does a ABPI of 1+ indicate?
symptom free