Peripheral Vascular Disease Flashcards
What is intermittent claudication?
Pain in the back of the calves after exertion, relieved after a while by rest
What causes intermittent claudication?
Insufficient blood reaching the exercising muscle, i.e. muscle is starved of oxygen
What classification/staging is used to grade claudication?
Fontaine staging
Name two non-invasive investigations for lower limb ischaemia
Ankle brachial pressure index (ABPI)
Duplex ultrasound scan
How is ABPI measured?
Ankle pressure / Brachial pressure (mm Hg)
using systolic pressures
What range for ABPI would indicate claudication?
0.4-0.85
Name some non-invasive therapy for limb ischaemia
Stop smoking
Increase exercise
Antiplatelet drugs
Statins
Is angioplasty + stenting indicated for lower limb ischaemia?
Yep
What is endarterectomy?
Cutting out the inside of an artery (remove plaque and fibrous tissue)
Describe critical limb ischaemia
Pain in toes/foot/leg at rest, worse at night (lying down), relieved by walking about for a bit
Can cause ulcers/gangrene
What is the general pathogenesis behind AAA?
Defect in collagen-elastin regulation, causing excessive dilation + increase in aortic wall stress
What are some typical features of AAA?
Abdo pain
Pulsatile mass
May be asymptomatic unless ruptured
What does expansile mean? How does it differ from pulsatile?
Expansile mass pushes hands in opposite directions; pulsatile mass pushes hands up and down
What 2 non-invasive investigations are done for AAA?
Ultrasound
CT scan
What is the investigation of choice for AAA?
Ultrasound - tells us whether there is an AAA or not