Newswise — Patients with diabetic vascular disease have increased chances to develop blockages in their arteries secondary to peripheral vascular disease (PVD). These blockages can be very serous and result in foot sores, pain in legs when walking, loss of feeling or a burning feeling in their feet or even gangrene. PVD, also known as peripheral arterial disease, affects more than eight million people in the U.S., especially those over 50, and by age 65 approximately12 to 20 percent of the population has the disease. Diagnosis is critical, as people with PVD have a four-to-five times higher risk of heart attack or stroke.
People who smoke have an especially high risk for PVD. Other risk factors include: diabetes; high blood pressure; high cholesterol; increasing age, especially after reaching 50 years of age; and a family history of peripheral artery disease, heart disease, or stroke.
Vascular surgeons are experts in treating diabetic vascular disease. They want patients to know that there are preventative measures patients can take to avoid these severe consequences of PVD. 1. Stop smoking 2. Control their blood sugar levels, blood pressure and lipid levels with diet, exercise, and medication.
When blockages do develop, vascular surgeons can perform non-invasive treatments using balloon catheters (angioplasty and/or stents) or open surgical reconstruction to bypass the blockage in the arteries in order to save the patient’s legs. They do amputations when and only when all attempts at limb salvage are exhausted.
Medical professionals and diabetic patients can learn more about the most up-to-date research and treatments regarding peripheral vascular disease and diabetic vascular disease by accessing the Society for Vascular Surgery’s® (SVS) comprehensive vascular health information provided through social media and online resources. SVS provides detailed vascular health information from the country’s leading vascular surgeons.
•Library of Vascular Diseases, Tests, and Treatments available at http://www.vascularweb.org/patients/NorthPoint/Index.html.-Diabetic Vascular Disease-Foot Care-Peripheral Arterial Disease
•Vascular Health Briefings can be downloaded at http://www.vascularweb.org//patients/Vascular_Health_Briefings.html-Lower Extremity Interventions-Peripheral Arterial Disease
•Vascular Health Podcast videos on several key topics affecting diabetic patients are regularly posted on: -iTunes at Vascular Health http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=309881703-YouTube at SVSChannel http://www.youtube.com/user/SVSChannel-VascularWeb.org at http://www.vascularweb.org//professionals/Podcasts/Podcasts.html.
•Find a Vascular Specialist tool is available at http://www.vascularweb.org/patients/Member_Search/Physician_Search.html
•The Management of the Diabetic Foot Educational Video, from the SVS’ 2009 Vascular Annual Meeting®, discusses the latest research for medical professionals and is available at: http://www.vascularweb.org/professionals/Education/Management_of_the_Diabetic_Foot.html
Additionally, in August 2009 a strategic collaboration between the SVS and the American Podiatric Medical Association was forged to help advance the care of patients with critical limb ischemia, especially in the diabetic population. Several future projects are planned including a joint statement on the multidisciplinary team approach to the care of diabetic foot and a supplement on the care of the diabetic foot that will be jointly published in the Journal of Vascular Surgery® and the Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association. More information regarding these collaborative efforts is available at: http://www.vascularweb.org/professionals/pulse/SVS_APMA_Article.html
About the Society for Vascular Surgery®The Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS) is a not-for-profit professional medical society, composed primarily of vascular surgeons, that seeks to advance excellence and innovation in vascular health through education, advocacy, research, and public awareness. SVS is the national advocate for 3,000 specialty-trained vascular surgeons and other medical professionals who are dedicated to the prevention and cure of vascular disease. Visit its Web site at www.VascularWeb.org® and follow SVS on Twitter by searching for VascularHealth or at http://twitter.com/VascularHealth.
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