peripheral vascular disease Flashcards
what is intermittent claudication?
- 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
what are the risk factors for intermittent claudication?
- male
- age
- diabetes
- smoking
- hypertension
- hypercholesterolaemia
- fibrinogen
- alcohol
what are the non invasive investigations of lower limb ischaemia?
- measurement of ABPI
- duplex ultrasound scanning
what are the invasive investigations of lower limb ischaemia?
- magnetic resonance angiography
- CT angiography
- catheter angiography
how do you measure ABPI?
- ankle pressure/brachial pressure
what are the normal values for ABPI?
- normal = 0.9-0.12
- claudiaction = 0.4-0.85
- severe = 0-4.5
what are the different ways to treat lower limb ischaemia?
- guardian therapy
- improvement of claudiaction symptoms
- exercise training and drugs
- angioplasty/stent
- surgery
what is the guardian therapy?
- smoking cessation
- lipid lowering
- antiplatelets
- hypertension Rx
- diabetes Rc
- life style issues
- information
what exercise should be recommended for lower limb ischaemia?
- 1 hour per day - 30 mins 3 times per week for minimum of 6 months
- 20-200% improvment in walking distance
what drugs should be given for lower limb ischaemia?
- cliostozol
what surgery would be given to treat lower limb ischaemia?
- endarterectomy
- bypass
what is critical limb ischaemia?
- at rest there is pain in toe/foot
- occurs when sleeping and lying down
- can be ulcers/ gangrene
- severe ischaemia + damage (trauma/footwear)
what are the symptoms of critical limb ischaemia?
- pain at rest
- toes and forefoot
- requires strong analgesia
- worse at night
- helped by sitting and putting led in a dependent possition
- helped by getting up and walking about
what are the critical limb ischaemia risk factors for amputation?
- smoking
- diabetes
what is an aneurysm?
- dilation of a vessel by more than 50% of its normal diameter
- normal aortic diameter is 1.2-2cm