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October 2007 | Vol. 25, No. 10 News of the Vascular ProfessionPAD Awareness Survey Finds Few Americans Aware of Peripheral Arterial DiseaseFindings Reinforce Need for National Efforts to Educate Americans on PADThree out of four people are not aware of peripheral arterial disease (PAD), a common vascular disease that carries a high short-term risk of heart attack, stroke, amputation and death and affects more than 8 million Americans, according to a new study published in Circulation, Journal of the American Heart Association. PAD occurs when arteries in the legs become narrowed or clogged with fatty deposits, reducing blood flow to the legs. This can result in leg muscle pain when walking and lead to disability, amputation and a poor quality of life. Blocked arteries found in people with PAD can be a warning sign that other arteries, including those in the heart and brain, may also be blocked, increasing the likelihood of having a heart attack or stroke. The survey of 2,501 adults found that public awareness of PAD (26 percent) is markedly lower than other cardiovascular diseases such as stroke (74 percent), coronary artery disease (67 percent) and heart failure (67 percent), though the risk for PAD is equal to or greater than the risk for these conditions. Survey respondents were much more aware of relatively rare diseases that affect far fewer people, including Lou Gehrig’s Disease (36 percent), multiple sclerosis (42 percent) and cystic fibrosis (29 percent). According to the survey, few Americans know that having P.A.D. significantly increases one’s risk for heart attack, stroke, amputation and death. Only one in four adults who were familiar with PAD associate the disease with an increased risk of heart attack; only 28 percent associate PAD with an increased risk of stroke; and only 14 percent link PAD with either amputation or death. “Every day that PAD is present undetected and untreated, we permit preventable heart attacks, strokes and death to occur,” said Alan T. Hirsch, M.D., chair of the national Peripheral Arterial Disease Coalition, professor of Epidemiology and Community Health at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, and Director of the Vascular Medicine Program at the Minneapolis Heart Institute. “PAD can either represent a tragedy waiting to happen or the single best opportunity for this nation to take preventative steps to save limbs and lives.” Dr. Hirsch says PAD affects both women and men and can strike adults of any age. The risk of PAD is increased in people over 50, particularly smokers and former smokers, and in people with diabetes, high blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol, a personal history of heart disease or stroke, and in African Americans. Awareness of P.A.D. is low in all sub-groups studied, including African Americans. “The risk of PAD in African Americans is twice that in other ethnic groups, and like other high risk groups, African Americans should be a major focus of educational efforts about PAD," said Michael H. Criqui, M.D., M.P.H., professor of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of California, San Diego. The study also found that most Americans do not know the causes or risk factors of PAD. Cigarette smoking and diabetes contribute to the development and progression of PAD, a fact unknown even by many survey respondents who reported familiarity with the disease. Further, more than half of those familiar with PAD do not know that high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol are also risk factors. “These findings show that awareness of a disease does not necessarily translate to knowledge. If the public is uninformed about the devastating consequences and the causes of P.A.D., they will be less likely to take steps to avoid it,” stated co-author Timothy Murphy, MD, Professor of Diagnostic Imaging, Brown University, Providence, RI. The survey also found that adults are first learning about PAD through media sources. Nearly half of adults familiar with PAD first became aware of the disease through broadcast or cable television (26 percent), a magazine (15 percent), newspaper (5 percent), the Internet (3 percent) or radio (0.7 percent). Only 19 percent of adults reported first hearing about PAD from a healthcare provider, and about 17 percent first heard about PAD from a family member or friend. To educate Americans about P.A.D., the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health and the P.A.D. Coalition, of which SVU is a Founding Member, are conducting a national awareness campaign titled Stay in Circulation: Take Steps to Learn About P.A.D. The campaign provides tools for consumers, community groups, medical professionals and health organizations to inform Americans about the risks, symptoms and treatment of P.A.D. New Stay in Circulation resources are available online at www.aboutpad.org. To improve patient – clinician communications about P.A.D., a variety of new tools have been developed to help medical practices, hospitals, health plans and health systems educate their patients and clinicians about P.A.D. Added Dr. Hirsch, “If we are now – perhaps many decades late – entering a time when we use our scientific knowledge to inform Americans about P.A.D., then we can share a future in which P.A.D. can be appropriately diagnosed, and individuals and health professionals can work together to promptly initiate evidence-based therapies proven to save lives.” For more information on P.A.D. and available resources, visit www.padcoalition.org. Rita Shugart Elected President of the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC)
Currently, there are five divisions within the IAC:
Each of these organizations has developed a voluntary, comprehensive peer-review accreditation program for its respective area of diagnostic testing and is recognized for providing a mechanism for laboratories to demonstrate their commitment to quality care. Shugart has served on the Board of Directors of the ICAVL since 1994 and recently completed a two-year term as ICAVL President. She also is a long-time member of the Society for Vascular Ultrasound (SVU) and served as SVU President from June 1986-June 1987. Since 1980, she has been employed in the Diagnostic Vascular Lab of Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgeons, Greensboro, NC. When asked about her new role as IAC President, Shugart remarked, “I am proud to be a part of this prestigious organization with the mission of ensuring quality patient care. When scheduling a diagnostic imaging examination, whether at a hospital, outpatient imaging center, or a physician’s office, patients are strongly encouraged to ask about the accreditation status of the laboratory. They can rest assured that the staff of accredited laboratories is committed to quality patient care.” Accreditation granted by the five IAC commissions signifies that a laboratory has been reviewed by an independent agency and that the applicant facility was found to be in substantial compliance with objective standards of quality. Patients are encouraged to visit the patient information sections of each of the accreditation bodies’ web sites for details about the types of examinations performed and a directory of accredited laboratories. RT Image Magazine Announces its 25 Most Influential Individuals, Facilities and Organizations in Radiology in 2007Unfortunately, SVU, which was #18 in the 2006 RT Magazine list of the 25 most influential individuals, facilities and organizations in radiology in 2006, did not make RT Image Magazine's list in 2007. Some of the noted individuals, facilities and organizations on the 2007 top 25 list include:
To see the entire 2007 top 25 list, go to www.RT-Image.com. |
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Copyright © Society for Vascular Ultrasound |
4601 Presidents Drive, Suite 260, Lanham, MD 20706-4831 |
Rita
Shugart, RN, RVT, FSVU, of Greensboro, NC, was recently elected President
of the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC). Headquartered in
Columbia, MD, the IAC is a national, nonprofit organization in operation
to evaluate and accredit medical diagnostic imaging facilities. The
IAC strives to improve the quality of patient care provided in private
offices, clinics and hospitals where diagnostic imaging studies are
performed.