Vascular Disease |
What is Vascular Disease Risk Factors Education Quarterly Offered Screens Other Health Screens Our Team |
Cardiovascular disease takes the lives of almost a million Americans every year and impairs the lifestyle of many more. In spite of all we know about atherosclerosis and the treatment of vascular disease, the combination of coronary artery disease and peripheral vascular disease remains the greatest cause of mortality and disability in this country.
What is vascular disease?
Vascular disease includes a variety of medical conditions causing structural and functional changes in the arteries, or veins. The most common of them, atherosclerosis (fatty deposits), involves arteries throughout the body and, at it’s advanced stage, causes abnormal functioning of organs, such as heart, brain, kidneys, intestines, lower and upper extremities.
Inadequate circulation most commonly caused by arthrosclerosis may be undiagnosed and untreated, despite serious complications such as heart attacks, strokes, walking leg pain and sometimes amputations (limb loss).
Who is at risk?
The vast majority are people over age 60 (particularly men).
Risk Factors
Other conditions determine a patient’s risk for vascular disease. They include:
- Family history of Vascular Disease
- High blood cholesterol
- Hypertension
- Diabetes
- Smoking
- Previous heart of leg treatments
- Prior stroke
- Physical inactivity
Education and disease management
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is crucial to the control of vascular disease. The Vascular Disease Center offers a wide variety of educational opportunities including assessment and management of:
- Blood pressure monitoring/reduction
- Cholesterol/lipids
- Smoking cessation
- Nutrition/Diabetes
Treatment Options include:
- Exercise
- Medication
- Balloon angioplasty/stent
- Surgery
Quarterly Offered Screens for your Health
Carotid Artery Disease
Stroke is the third leading cause of death in this country and the #1 cause of disability in older people. More than half of all strokes in older Americans are due to carotid artery disease and thereare proven treatments to reduce strokes in those cases.
Carotid Scan
Carotid artery disease cannot be detected in a doctor’s office. But it can be easily and accurately diagnosed using an ultrasound scan that is simple, painless and takes only a few minutes.
Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms (AAA)
This is the 10th leading cause of death in men over 50 in this country, but most people never know they have an aneurysm. AAA can be permanently cured when it is diagnosed early, but rupture is fatalin most cases.
Aortic Scan
A painless risk-free ultrasound scan can diagnose an AAA and accurately measure its size to determine the need for treatment.
Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD)
This affects the health of millions of older Americans, at least a quarter of those over 70. Many older people with PAD have difficulty walking, and some may suffer from foot ulcers or infections. Peoplewith PAD have a much higher risk of stroke and heart attack, but these risks can be reduced if PAD is diagnosed early.
PAD Screen
A simple Doppler exam can accurately diagnose PAD. When PAD is treated, people are usually able to walk farther and have a reduced risk of heart attack and stroke.
Other Health Screens Offered
Cardiac Calcium Scoring is the latest diagnostic tool to detect plaque. This is a noninvasive, painless screening of the heart for calcium deposits in the coronary arteries. Cardiac scoring is performed in just seconds on a multislice CT scanner and is extremely accurate in detecting the presence, extent, and severity of calcium in the coronary arteries. Cardiac scoring can detect coronary calcium in its earliest stages. Early detection helps to promote healthy lifestyle changes to prevent or minimize further progression of coronary artery disease. Indications for this screening are patients between the ages of 40-70 with risk factors for coronary artery disease including one of the following: family history, current smoker, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, low HDL, diabetes and obesity. Presentlythis screening is not covered by most insurance. Either a physician or the patient can order cardiac scoring.
Coronary CT Angiography is a noninvasive scan of the heart to detect hard and soft plaque deposits in the coronary arteries, which are the blood vessels that bring oxygen and nutrients to the heart. This is performed on a multislice CT scanner with injection of contrast dye through an intravenous (IV) line prior to scanning the heart. This test is accurate in detecting the presence, extent, and severity of hard and soft plaque in the coronary arteries. This test is indicated if the patient has known coronary artery disease and there is a need to detect the progression of stabilization of plaque. This test requires a physician’s order.
Other Health Screenings offered by the Vascular Disease Center include: Cardiovascular Risk Factor Assessment which includes peripheral arterial disease screen, lipid panel, risk factor assessment, and will assist you in finding the resources to help modify your risk factors for $40.00. All appointments are scheduled through St. Mary’s Hospital “A Woman’s Place” at 920-498-4205.
Help to Prevent a Stroke through our Preventative Vascular Screening, using painless, Doppler ultrasound technology includes a carotid artery screening, abdominal aortic aneurysm screening and peripheral arterial disease screening for $110.00. These non-invasive screenings performed by Vascular Lab technologists help to quickly detect abnormal arterial blood flow which can lead to stroke, aneurysm and/or plaque buildup. Either a physician or the patient can order this screening. This preventive screening is offered quarterly. Please call the Vascular Disease Center at 920-884-3462 to check on the nextavailable screening date.
About the Vascular Disease Center
The Vascular Disease Center at St. Mary’s Hospital Medical Center is committed to the control and prevention of cardiovascular disease. Many know about the importance of cardiac (heart) disease but few understand vascular disease outside the heart.
The program was designed to screen for and detect silent disease processes that can lead to heart attack, stroke, limb loss or death. A specialized nurse will perform evaluation, counseling and therapy of patients referred for vascular disease assessment in conjunction with a medical director.
The program’s aim is to:
- Assess patients cardiovascular system
- Counsel individuals on risk factor reduction including lifestyle changes and therapeutic intervention, utilizing risk stratification for motivation
- Educate and treat patients about the severity of unchecked and uncontrolled factors associated with vascular disease
- Provide primary care doctors with a care program for their vascular disease patients
- Diagnose and manage medical therapy of a large variety of vascular disease
- Mange cardiovascular risk factors (hypertension, diabetes, smoking, high cholesterol/lipids)
- Identify important non-traditional risk factors such as c-reactive protein, Lp(a) and pattern (BLDL)
- Evaluate atypical vascular disease symptoms, eg. Non-classic chest pain and leg pain.
The Vascular Disease Center at St. Mary’s Hospital Medical Center is your referral source for cardiovascular disease. To schedule an appointment call 920/498-4634.
Our Cardiovascular Team:
Peter Fergus, MD |
|
David Manke, MD |
|
Teresa Finger, RNC, BSN, MBA |