Free screenings for Peripheral Arterial Disease offered during September’s P.A.D. Awareness Month
Danville Regional Medical Center (DRMC), has teamed up with Danville Diagnostic Imaging Center (DDIC) and Dr. Bill Sweezer, to conduct free screenings for peripheral arterial disease, also known as P.A.D. The event takes place at DDIC on Saturday, Sept. 17, and is by appointment only.
Approximately 1 in 20 Americans over 50 has P.A.D., a common and potentially life-threatening vascular disease that affects the vessels in the legs and can lead to heart attack, stroke, amputation and death. September is P.A.D. Awareness Month, and Danville Regional Medical Center, DDIC and Dr. Bill Sweezer, have joined forces to inform area residents about the risk factors, warning signs and consequences of P.A.D.
P.A.D. occurs when arteries in the legs become narrowed or clogged with fatty deposits, reducing blood flow to the legs. This can result in leg muscle pain when walking, disability, amputation, and poor quality of life. Blocked arteries found in people with P.A.D. can be a red flag that other arteries, including those in the heart and brain, may also be blocked - increasing the risk for heart attack or stroke.
Everyone over the age of 50 is at risk for P.A.D. Risk increases if a person:
- Smokes, or used to smoke
- Has diabetes
- Has high blood pressure
- Has abnormal blood cholesterol
- Is African American
- Has a personal history of coronary heart disease or stroke
In many cases, P.A.D. is a silent disease, causing no recognizable symptoms. However, if a person has symptoms they may include:
- “Claudication” - fatigue, heaviness, tiredness or cramping in the leg muscles (calf, thigh or buttocks) that occurs during activity - such as walking - and goes away with rest.
- Foot or toe pain at rest that often disturbs sleep
- Skin wounds or ulcers on the feet or toes that are slow to heal (or that do not heal for 8 to 12 weeks).
“P.A.D. is a devastating disease that is often undiagnosed,” stated Dr. Sweezer, a Duke University Cardiovascular Thoracic Surgeon providing cardiothoracic surgical services at the Danville Regional Heart Center, through its affiliation with Duke Medicine. “By teaming up with DDIC and DRMC, we are all working to increase awareness of P.A.D. and improve our community’s vascular health.”
Danville Regional is the leading medical center in the Dan River Region of Virginia and North Carolina. Approximately 140 physicians are on the medical staff. The medical center employs approximately 1,200 people. For additional information, visit: http://www.danvilleregional.com.
