IU School of Medicine Offers Vascular Disease Screenings
INDIANAPOLIS - The Indiana University School of Medicine Department of Radiology and Surgery and the Indiana Vascular Institute will conduct free screenings for people suffering from leg pain to determine if they are at risk for peripheral vascular disease, a common condition affecting thousands of Hoosiers.
The Indiana Vascular Institute will sponsor free screenings from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 20, in Room 4420, at Indiana University Hospital. The department's participation is part of the nationwide Legs for Life™ National Screening Week for PVD, sponsored by the Society of Cardiovascular & Interventional Radiology. The screening will be coordinated by Michael S. Stecker, M.D., assistant professor of radiology, and an SCVIR member.
PVD is a condition in which arteries in the leg can become narrowed or blocked. Untreated, walking can become difficult due to pain, numbness or muscle weakness. Skin ulcers can develop and in severe cases, gangrene can set in, possibly resulting in amputation. The disease starts quietly and many sufferers wrongly conclude that the pain and weakness in their legs are normal signs of aging. PVD is most common in those 50 years of age and older and factors that might aggravate the condition are smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and being overweight.
The screening program at IU School of Medicine is fast, free and painless. During the Legs for Life screening, participants will complete a questionnaire designed to help assess their risk for developing PVD. Medical staff will take blood pressure readings in the ankles and arms to check for possible circulation problems. Those who report symptoms of PVD have multiple risk factors or abnormal blood pressure readings will be advised to consult further with their personal primary care physician.
To arrange for your free screening, call Clarian On-Call at 317-916-3525. Participants with access to the Internet can visit the Department of Radiology's Web site at www.indyrad.iupui.edu/legsforlife, for more information or to complete a pre-screening survey.
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Media Contact: Joe Stuteville
Tel: (317)274-7722
Email: jstutevi@iupui.edu
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