Endorsement of American Diabetes Assosications statement that: Diagnosis of Peripheral Arterial Disease is Important for People with Diabetes

The Vascular Disease Foundation added its endorsement to the recommendations for treating peripheral arterial disease (PAD) in the individual with diabetes in a Consensus Statement published by the American Diabetes Association (ADA) in the December issue of Diabetes Care. Currently, there are no specific guidelines for care for physicians treating the patient with both diseases.

Diagnosis of Peripheral Arterial Disease is Important for
People with Diabetes

The Vascular Disease Foundation added its endorsement to the recommendations for treating PAD in the individual with diabetes in a Consensus Statement published by the American Diabetes Association (ADA) in the December issue of Diabetes Care. Currently, there are no specific guidelines for care for physicians treating the patient with both diseases. PAD is a serious, vascular complication in people with diabetes that often goes undetected and under-treated. PAD has few symptoms, and affects one of three with diabetes over age 50 increasing the potential for disability and amputation. Plus, there is a higher risk of heart attack and stroke associated with PAD and diabetes than PAD alone. The Consensus Statement identified several differences in how PAD affects the arteries of people with diabetes compared to those with PAD alone.

The Consensus Statement is a result of a Consensus Development Conference organized by the ADA last spring. Vascular Disease Foundation Director, Dr. Judy Regensteiner, was a member of the Panel that developed the Consensus Statement. To see the entire report, go to our web site (www.vdf.org) for a link to the report. Or, call the ADA at 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383).

Key recommendations from the ADA Consensus Panel were:

·   People over the age of 50 who have diabetes should be screened for PAD. People with diabetes who are younger than 50 should be considered for screening if they have other risk factors for this condition, including smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or having diabetes for more than 10 years.

·   The recommended test for PAD is the ankle brachial index (ABI). If results are normal, it should be repeated every 5 years.

·   Treatment strategies for someone with both PAD and diabetes should include aggressive management of cardiovascular risk factors and treatment of PAD symptoms:
·   Stop Smoking and avoid all tobacco products
·   Antiplatelet therapy
·   Blood glucose (A1C, a test of average blood glucose over three months, less than 7%),
·   Blood pressure (below 130/80 mmHg)
·   LDL cholesterol (below 100 mg/dl)
·   Treatment for PAD symptoms includes exercise rehabilitation, medicines and, in some cases, surgical procedures.
·   Preventive Foot Care (including appropriate foot wear, ulcer care, and      treatment of infection)