Ankle/brachial index to everyone

Abstract

BackgroundIn the last years significant attention has been paid in identifying markers of subclinical atherosclerosis or of increased cardiovascular risk.MethodAn abnormal ankle/brachial index (ABI) identifies patients affected by lower extremity peripheral arterial disease, and even more important, represents a powerful predictor of the development of future ischemic cardiovascular events.ConclusionsIn our opinion, ABI is a cardiovascular risk prediction tool with very desirable properties that might become a routine measurement in clinical practice.

Prehypertension is associated with peripheral arterial disease and low ankle-brachial index

“…Patients with prehypertension have increased carotid intima-media thickness, greater left ventricle hypertrophy and more development of diastolic dysfunction when compared with normotensive subjects,12, 13 those patients also have greater incidence of myocardial infarction, stroke and cardiovascular death 11 . Since a low ABI predicts high cardiovascular risk, our results supports the evidence that prehypertensive patients are a high cardiovascular risk group.…”

“…A low ABI is an independent predictor of future cardiovascular events, and the risk increases with the reduction of ABI values even in absence of other cardiovascular risk factors, and in patients without PAD; then, the ABI measurement provides additional information for the stratification of cardiovascular risk. A low ABI leads to a high cardiovascular risk with a different therapeutic approach 8, 11…”

Screening for Peripheral Arterial Disease Using the Ankle-Brachial Index in Diabetic and Other High-Risk Patients

“…1 Similar to previous reports, [2][3][4] this study concluded that the ABI can be used for PAD screening as well as to monitor the treatment of PAD. This editorial considers the pros and cons of screening for PAD.…”

“…The symptoms and prognosis of patients with PAD vary according to the location and size of the affected arteries. 31 Some support routine screening for PAD for all, 4 but others maintain that the evidence is insufficient to recommend such screening. 25 Although it is probably true that general population screening for PAD is not cost effective, specific patient subgroups (eg, those with DM, smokers, or the elderly without known CVD) may benefit from ABI measurement in the primary care setting.…”

Is the peripheral arterial disease in low risk type 2 diabetic patients influenced by body mass index, lipidemic control, and statins?

“…[ 3 ] PAD, the silent killer in T2DM denies classical claudication[ 4 ] and in countries like ours can culminate into diabetic foot threatening limbs. This requires assessment in preclinical stage by simple yet under-used tool like ankle-brachial index (ABI)[ 5 ] which was utilized in our study. In previous articles, we have published high prevalence of PAD,[ 6 ] effect of risk factors,[ 3 ] importance of good glycemic control,[ 7 ] and benefit from angiotensin II converting enzyme inhibitors[ 8 ] in our T2DM subjects.…”