Vascular Flashcards
Give 5 risk factors for peripheral artery disease
- smoking
- diabetes
- hypertension
- hyperlipidaemia
- increased age
- FHx
- obesity
- inactivity
Describe the clinical features of peripheral artery disease
- cramping like pain in calf, thigh or buttocks after walking a fixed distance, releived after standing still/ resting for a minute
- hairloss
- skin changes
- thickened nails
- weak pulses, pale, cold feet
- pain at night, relieved by dangling foot out of the bed
- beurgers angle <20 degrees= severe ischaemia
- ulceration and gangrene (stage 4)
What is the definition of critical limb ischaemia?
- rest pain going on for 2 weeks despite analgesia or presence of ischaemia lesions or gangrene
give 3 differentials for peripheral vascular disease
- spinal stenosis: pain going down legs on walking variable distances or prolonged standing, relieved by sitting down for 3-10 mins
- acute limb ischaemia
- neuropathy
- sciatica
- lower limb arthritis
- MSK strain
How should suspected peripheral artery disease be investigated?
- Bloods: fbc (anaemia will precipitate symptoms), lipids, hba1c, u&e (many need contrast so need renal function check)
- Ankle brachial pulse pressure index (normal is 1-1.3)
- duplex USS of lower limb arteries
- CT w/ contrast (angio) if arterial tree not well visualised on USS or disease is very proximal
How is intermittent claudication managed?
- CVS risk factor modification
- supervised exercise programme
- antiplatelet therapy with aspirin or clopidogrel
- angioplasty if supervised exercise programme as not helped
- prescribe naftidrofuryl oxalate if they dont want referal for surgery
- bypass if claudication distance is short and angioplasty fails
Give a complication of peripheral artery disease
- sepsis secondary to infected (wet) gangrene
- acute on chronic ischaemia
- amputation
Describe the clinical features of chronic mesenteric ischaemia (usually due to atherosclerosis)
- abdo pain 10 mins - 4hrs after eating
- weightloss
- vascular comorbidities
- loose stool, N+V, generalised tenderness and bruits may also be present
How is chronic mesenteric ischaemia managed?
- antiplatelet
- CVS risk factor reduction
- mesenteric angioplasty and stending
- end arterectomy or bypass less often used
What is the difference between deep venous insufficiency and varciose veins?
deep venous insufficiency is when the veins of the deep venous system become incompetent, usually due to DVT or valvular insufficiency
How may deep venous insufficiency present?
- chronically swollen lower limbs
- aching, pruritis in lower limbs
- burting pain and tightness on walking which is relieved by elevation
- venous ulcers (usually medial malleolus)
- varicose eczema, thrombophelbitis, haemosiderin staining, lipodermatosclerosis
- post thrombotic syndrome
How is deep venous insufficiency investigated?
- duplex USS and assesment of venous reflux, stenosis and DVT
How is deep venous insufficiency managed?
- compression stockings and analgesia
- treat ulcers
- elevate feet where possible to reduce symptoms and disease progression
- little evidence for valvulopasty of venous stents
What are the 3 types of varicose veins?
- trunk: dilated, tortuous from long or short saphenous vein or their branches
- reticular: permanently dilated bluish intradermal veins, usually 1-3mm in diameter
- telangiectasia: a confluence of permanently dilated intradermal veins of less than 1mm in diameter
What are the 3 causes of varicose veins?
- primary/ simple: valvular failure resulting in dilated superficial veins in lower limb
- secondary: when superficial veins carry reverse flow (which dilates them) as a collateral mechanism compensating for obstructed neighbouring veins
- AV fistula