Peripheral Arterial Disease, a common circulatory problem defined by narrowed arteries that reduce blood flow to your limbs or extremities is a serious affliction that you should have treated as soon as possible. According to the Mayo Clinic, there are a few common ways that your doctor can determine if you have Peripheral Arterial Disease in Miami Beach:
- A Physical Exam. A weak or absent pulse is a sign of PAD as well as certain unusual sounds that the doctor can detect when he or she listens to your heart with a stethoscope.
- Ankle-Brachial Index (ABI). This is a common test to determine if you have PAD. It compares the blood pressure in your ankle with the blood pressure in your arm. To get a blood pressure reading, your doctor uses a regular blood pressure cuff and a special ultrasound device to evaluate blood pressure and flow.
- Ultrasound. Special sound imaging techniques are used to evaluate blood flow to your blood vessels. This allows your doctor to identify if any of your arteries are blocked.
- Angiography. The doctor injects a special dye into your blood vessels to view blood flow through your arteries in real time. Imaging techniques, such as X-ray imaging or procedures called Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRA) are used to trace the flow with the dye.
WHAT IS THE BEST TREATMENT FOR PERIPHERAL ARTERIAL DISEASE?
If you are one of the millions of Americans who have Peripheral Arterial Disease in Miami Beach, there is some very good news. With a few simple lifestyle changes, you should see a marked improvement in just a few weeks. Try some of these tips:
- Exercise more frequently. Your doctor will be able to advise you as to how frequently and intensively you should work out. Did you know that simply taking a walk around the block has been shown to decrease symptoms in just 4-8 weeks? Leg exercises three times a week can also help.
- Improve your eating habits by incorporating more fruits and vegetables into your diet. Remember when your mother told you to eat your fruits and vegetables? Well, now you know that there was a very good reason for that– to avoid situations like this later in life. Consider a low-fat diet that includes lots of healthy choices to help lower your cholesterol.
- Consider prescription medication. Your doctor may prescribe a few of the more common cholesterol medications such as stains which have been show to help lower cholesterol levels.
- Stop smoking. Research shows that giving up the habit will slow the progression of Peripheral Arterial Disease in Miami Beach and other heart-related disease.
If you suspect that you have Peripheral Arterial Disease and live in Miami Beach, call Palm Beach Vascular Center Miami at (305) 763-8734 to discuss all your treatment needs. Take a proactive step towards improving your health today. You can also visit www.palmvascular.com for more information.
