Detecting Peripheral Arterial Disease in Primary Care: A Population Based Study

Abstract

Background: Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) can progress silently without any clinical symptoms. Ankle-brachial index (ABI) is the recommended method used in primary care. We aimed to determine the prevalence of PAD and its related risk factors in primary care. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 250 participants aged ≥45 years were recruited randomly from the registered patients of family health center in a district of Izmir, Turkey. Patients' demographic data, PAD symptoms, and PAD risk factors were obtained. The PAD group consisted of patients with ABI levels <0.9; the non-compressible artery (NCA) group consisted of patients with ABI levels >1.3. Results: The prevalence of PAD was 17.6% (22.5% in women and 11.1% in men), while that of NCA was 15.2% (12.7% in women and 25.0% in men). About 27.3% and 54.5% of patients with PAD did not have claudication and problems with walking distance, respectively. Of the NCA patients, 15.8% had problems with walking distance and 39.5% had claudication. Regression analysis revealed two predictors of PAD (age ≥65 years: odds ratio [

The Frequency of Primary Healthcare Contacts Preceding the Diagnosis of Lower-Extremity Arterial Disease: Do Women Consult General Practice Differently?

“…The GP is the first person to intervene at the early symptoms of LEAD [11,12]. Nonetheless, it remains unclear whether differences in severity, delays in diagnosis, and differences in prognosis between women and men might be caused, potentially due to delays, in the early stages at the GP level.…”

“I Made Peace with My Disease, I Live with My Disease:” An Algorithm Educational Booklet Based on the Self-Care Deficit Nursing Theory in Peripheral Artery Disease

“…[1,2] Ülkemizde yapılan kesitsel bir çalışmada (2020), 45 yaş ve üstü 250 birey incelenmiş ve PAH prevalansı %17.6 olarak bulunmuştur. [3] Yine ülkemizde yapılan diğer bir kesitsel çalışmada (2020) ise, yaş ortalaması 54.1 olan 195 birey arasında PAH prevalansı %47.2 olarak saptanmıştır. [4] Yaygın bir hastalık olan PAH'ın tedavi ve bakımında temel hedefler; risk faktörlerinin azaltılması, fiziksel hareketin artırılması, ağrının azaltılması, doku bütünlüğünün sürdürülmesi, hastanın öz bakım programına uyumunun sağlanması ve yaşam kalitesinin artırılmasıdır.…”