Modern Vascular, a pioneering medical group dedicated to preventing amputation through the outpatient treatment of Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD), is marking September PAD Awareness Month at its 16 nationwide clinics by offering screening and treatment for PAD.
“While PAD awareness has increased over the last year, there is still more to do to ensure people know to get help through innovative treatments,” said Dr. Berkowitz, Chief Medical officer of Modern Vascular. “At Modern Vascular, we want to make the suffering of unnecessary lower leg amputations a thing of the past so people can focus on living their normal lives.”
PAD affects approximately 8-12 million Americans, according to the National Institutes of Health, among them senior citizens and those with a history of diabetes, smoking, obesity, high blood pressure or high cholesterol. Underserved groups, including the Black and Native American communities, are also at greater-than-average risk. The rate of lower limb amputation due to PAD is high, with a post-amputation death rate of nearly 50% after one year (NIH). Up to 90% of these PAD-related amputations are preventable with proper intervention (Endovascular Today).
Listen to Your Symptoms: Recognize Early Warnings of PAD
First, to combat PAD, recognize early warning signs, including leg pain, numbness, cramps, weakness, foot wounds that don’t heal, foot and leg discoloration, and cold feet.
Podiatrists, endocrinologists, and primary care physicians are essential in helping patients identify signs of PAD and guiding them to the right course of treatment.
For more information on PAD Awareness, please visit Modern Vascular’s website: https://modernvascular.com/PAD-Awareness-Month/ or call 1-866-4PAD-HELP. To determine your risk level, take Modern Vascular’s short online PAD assessment quiz.