Peripheral vascular disease Flashcards
What causes intermittant claudication? what are the clinical features?
This occurs when insufficient blood reaches exercising muscle.
The patient is pain-free at rest, but after variable periods of exercise develops ischaemic pain in the affected limb, which is relieved by further rest.
How is peripheral vascular disease staged?
Fontaine stage: I: normal IIa: intermittant claud. >200m IIb: intermittant claud. <200m III: rest pain IV: tissue loss
what are the main risk factors for peripheral vascular disease? (6)
Male Age Diabetes Smoking HTN Hypercholesterolaemia
What are the pulses that you feel for in the leg?
- Femoral
- Popliteal
- Posterior tibial
- Dorsalis pedis
What are the 2 non-invasive investigations for lower limb ischaemia?
Measurement of ABPI:
Ankle pressure/Brachial pressure (this is usually the same but as get worse, ankle pressure becomes alot lower than brachial)
-Duplex USS
What is a normal/claudication/severe ABPI?
Normal: 0.8-1.2
Claudication: 0.4-0.85
Severe: 0-0.45
What are the 3 invasive investigations for lower limb ischaemia?
Magnetic resonance angiography
CT angiography
Catheter angiography
What are the important lifestyle factors to discuss with a patient who has lower limb ischaemia?
stop smoking (smoking is a risk factor for amputation)
importance of walking to develop collateral circulation and success of supervised exercise programmes
What pharmacological management is involved in the treatment of lower limb ischaemia?
lipid lowering
antiplatelets
hypertension Rx
diabetes Rx (diabetes is a risk factor for amputation)
What is the surgical management of lower limb ischaemia?
angioplasty
stent
bypass
What are the 5 clinical features of critical limb ischaemia? What are these helped by?
Rest pain (lying/sleeping) = toe / foot ischaemia (nerve ending pain)
Ulcers/gangrene (trauma/footwear) = severe ischaemia and damage
Toes and forefoot
Requires strong analgesia
Worse at night
Helped by:
- sitting and putting the leg in a dependent position
- getting up and walking about
What is the main management of intermittant claudication and critical limb ischaemia?
RISK REDUCTION
What is acute limb ischaemia?
sudden loss blood supply to a limb:
-occlusion native artery or bypass graft
what are 5 causes of sudden occlusion?
- Embolism
- Atheroembolism
- Arterial dissection
- Trauma
- Extrinsic compression
What are the 6 P’s of acute limb ischaemia?
Pain Pallor Pulseless Perishingly cold Paraesthesia Paralysis