The TASC Working Group also acknowledges Otsuka Pharmaceuticals for defraying some travel costs and, together with Mitsubishi Pharma, supplying additional support for the future dissemination of these guidelines.

No abstract

Prevalence of PAD in primary care practices is high, yet physician awareness of the PAD diagnosis is relatively low. A simple ABI measurement identified a large number of patients with previously unrecognized PAD. Atherosclerosis risk factors were very prevalent in PAD patients, but these patients received less intensive treatment for lipid disorders and hypertension and were prescribed antiplatelet therapy less frequently than were patients with CVD. These results demonstrate that underdiagnosis of PAD in primary care practice may be a barrier to effective secondary prevention of the high ischemic cardiovascular risk associated with PAD.

T he ankle-brachial index (ABI) is the ratio of the systolic blood pressure (SBP) measured at the ankle to that measured at the brachial artery. Originally described by Winsor 1 in 1950, this index was initially proposed for the noninvasive diagnosis of lower-extremity peripheral artery disease (PAD). 2,3 Later, it was shown that the ABI is an indicator of atherosclerosis at other vascular sites and can serve as a prognostic marker for cardiovascular events and functional impairment, even in the absence of symptoms of PAD. 4 -6 Rationale for Standardization of the ABIThe current lack of standards for measurement and calculation of the ABI leads to discrepant results with significant impact from clinical, public health, and economic standpoints. Indeed, the estimated prevalence of PAD may vary substantially according to the mode of ABI calculation. [7][8][9] In a review of 100 randomly selected reports using the ABI, multiple variations in technique were identified, including the position of the patient during measurement, the sizes of the arm and leg cuffs, the location of the cuff on the extremity, the method of pulse detection over the brachial artery and at the ankles, whether the arm and ankle pressures were measured bilaterally, which ankle pulses were used, and whether a single or replicate measures were obtained. 10 There is controversy about what ABI threshold should be used to diagnose PAD. The ABI threshold most commonly used is Յ0.90 based on studies reporting Ͼ90% sensitivity and specificity to detect PAD compared with angiography. 2,3 These studies were limited in that they included mostly older white men with PAD or who were at high risk for PAD and compared them with a younger healthy group. A recent metaanalysis of 8 studies of diverse populations, including diabetic patients, confirmed a high specificity but lower sensitivity (at best Ͻ80%) than that reported in earlier studies. 11 Similar to other vascular markers such as carotid intimamedia thickness 12 or coronary artery calcium score, 13 standardization of the techniques used to measure the ABI and the calculation and interpretation of its values is necessary. Aims and ScopeThe goals for this document are to provide a comprehensive review of the relevant literature on the measurement of the The American Heart Association makes every effort to avoid any actual or potential conflicts of interest that may arise as a result of an outside relationship or a personal, professional, or business interest of a member of the writing panel. Specifically, all members of the writing group are required to complete and submit a Disclosure Questionnaire showing all such relationships that might be perceived as real or potential conflicts of interest.This statement was approved by the American Heart Association Science Advisory and Coordinating Committee on September 10, 2012. A copy of the document is available at http://my.americanheart.org/statements by selecting either the "By Topic" link or the "By Publication Date" link. To purchase additional repri...

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is the narrowing of arteries due to plaque accumulation in the vascular walls. This leads to insufficient blood supply to the extremities and can ultimately cause cell death. Currently available methods are ineffective in diagnosing PAD in patients with calcified arteries, such as those with diabetes. In this paper we investigate the potential of dynamic diffuse optical tomography (DDOT) as an alternative way to assess PAD in the lower extremities. DDOT is a non-invasive, non-ionizing imaging modality that uses near-infrared light to create spatio-temporal maps of oxy-and deoxy-hemoglobin in tissue. We present three case studies in which we used DDOT to visualize vascular perfusion of a healthy volunteer, a PAD patient and a diabetic PAD patient with calcified arteries. These preliminary results show significant differences in DDOT time-traces and images between all three cases, underscoring the potential of DDOT as a new diagnostic tool. "Localized irregularities in hemoglobin flow and oxygenation in calf muscle in patients with peripheral vascular disease detected with near-infrared spectrophotometry," J. Vasc. Surg. 37(5), 1017-1026 (2003). 8. C. Casavola, L. A. Paunescu, S. Fantini, and E. Gratton, "Blood flow and oxygen consumption with near-infrared spectroscopy and venous occlusion: spatial maps and the effect of time and pressure of inflation," J.

Context-Prediction models to identify healthy individuals at high risk of cardiovascular disease have limited accuracy. A low ankle brachial index is an indicator of atherosclerosis and has the potential to improve prediction.Objective-To determine if the ankle brachial index provides information on the risk of cardiovascular events and mortality independently of the Framingham Risk Score and can improve risk prediction.

In this population of patients with diabetes and hypertension, we found a significantly higher incidence of fatal and nonfatal myocardial infarction among those assigned to therapy with the calcium-channel blocker nisoldipine than among those assigned to receive enalapril. Since our findings are based on a secondary end point, they will require confirmation.

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is a chronic, lifestyle-limiting disease and is an independent predictor of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular ischemic events. Despite the recognition that PAD is associated with a marked increase in the risk of ischemic events, this particular manifestation of systemic atherosclerosis is largely underdiagnosed and undertreated. The risk of PAD is markedly increased among individuals with diabetes, and ischemic event rates are higher in diabetic individuals with PAD than in comparable non-diabetic populations. Consequently, early diagnosis and treatment of PAD in patients with diabetes is critically important in order to reduce the risk of cardiovascular events, minimize the risk of long-term disability, and improve quality of life. A diagnosis of PAD in patients with diabetes mandates a multi-faceted treatment approach, involving aggressive risk-factor modification, antiplatelet therapy, and revascularization procedures. The American Diabetes Association recently issued a consensus statement on the epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management of PAD in patients with diabetes. This article will review the clinical implications of the consensus statement and highlight the treatment options available in order to help prevent future ischemic events in diabetic individuals with PAD.