Detecting Peripheral Vascular Disease Early

Peripheral Vascular Disease (PVD) is a condition that causes the obstruction of blow flow in vessels outside the heart or brain, such as those that lead to the legs, arms, and other areas of the body. It can be caused by the buildup of fatty deposits in the blood vessels and when this occurs it is sometimes called Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD). People with this buildup also have a similar buildup in the heart and brain vessels, which means people with Peripheral Vascular Disease often have a higher risk of heart attack or stroke. If unchecked, Peripheral Vascular Disease can result in tissue damage, ulceration, amputation of affected limbs, and death. People with diabetes and who follow unwise lifestyle choices (i.e., smoking) are most at risk for getting Peripheral Vascular Disease.

According to the American Heart Association, of the 8 to 12 million people who suffer from Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD), roughly 75 percent never suffer symptoms until it is too late. Women are less likely to suffer Peripheral Artery Disease symptoms than men. Those who do suffer Peripheral Artery Disease symptoms will feel cramping or fatigue in the legs or buttocks during strenuous activity. These Peripheral Artery Disease symptoms tend to go away when the person stands still.

Techniques used to diagnose Peripheral Artery Disease include taking a medical history, physical exam, ultrasound, X-ray angiography and magnetic resonance imaging angiography (MRA). Using devices such as ultrasound or MRAs can be expensive, requiring highly trained technicians, can be time consuming and invasive.

Fortunately, a company called Dialogue Devices, a spin off of Loughborough University located in London, may have developed a device that will detect Peripheral Vascular Disease in the lower legs with relative ease and little expense. The device is called the PADD or Peripheral Artery Disease Detector and is now under evaluation.

The PADD is a handheld device that uses infrared light to detect changes in blood circulation to the lower legs and feet from when a patient is at rest (i.e., sitting or laying down), and standing up. The test takes about five minutes, is non invasive, and can be administered by a General Practice physician as part of a regular exam. It will detect weakness in blood flow to the lower legs and feet, often long before Peripheral Artery Disease symptoms become manifest.

If the PADD is accepted for general use, which it may be in one or two years, it could lead to early detection of Peripheral Vascular Disease (PVD), greatly reducing the incidents of amputation and death that can result. Early detection can also lead to less drastic treatments of Peripheral Vascular Disease, such as lifestyle changes or drugs rather than invasive procedures such as balloon or laser angioplasty. The latter involves inserting a device into the affected vessels to remove the blockage caused by Peripheral Vascular Disease.

The PADD is the invention of Dr. William Crabtree, an optical engineer at Loughborough University. Crabtree was inspired to invent the device by the plight of his grandfather who had his feet amputated because of Peripheral Vascular Disease at age 55 and who subsequently died.