Action Day focuses on vascular health

Action Day focuses on vascular health

06/23/2014

Millions of people suffer from vascular diseases, such as peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Next Saturday, an action day will focus on vascular health. The motto is: „Free path in the blood vessels - How do I stay healthy?“

Nationwide day of action on vascular health
Millions of patients suffer from vascular disease. According to the German Society for Angiology - Society for Vascular Medicine (DGA), around 4.5 million people suffer from peripheral arterial disease (PAD) in this country alone. Next Saturday, June 28, the initiative against PAVK and the DGA, together with the German Vascular League, will focus on vascular health with a nationwide day of action. Under the motto: „Free path in the blood vessels - How do I stay healthy?“ should be informed about PAD and other vascular diseases.

Focus on early detection and prevention
The day of action will be part of the awareness campaign „Classified PAVK“ initiated. This year's focus will be on early diagnosis and prevention of PAOD. In PAOD, sometimes referred to as chronic arterial occlusive disease (AVC), sufferers include chronic circulatory disorders in the extremities. Often the legs are affected. Discomfort, which varies according to the stage, involves severe pain, which can result in those affected having to pause for a few minutes. The disease is usually preceded by atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), which range from a lack of symptoms to mild walking difficulties to tissue necrosis requiring amputation.

Diagnosis is usually not a problem
Usually, the diagnosis of PAD does not present any difficulties and can only be asked by interviewing the patient on the basis of a medical history combined with a physical examination. The so-called Doppler pressure measurement is the unerring basic investigation, which is used as a supplementary, apparatus-based examination method. The main risk factors for the development of arteriosclerosis include smoking, diabetes mellitus, hypertension and lipid metabolism disorders. In addition, certain diseases such as gout, hyperthyroidism, rheumatoid arthritis or chronic polyarthritis are associated with the development of arteriosclerosis.

Information about risk factors and treatment options
As the initiators of the day announced, everyone could learn about the risk factors as well as about diagnostics and therapy of venous diseases, venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. Another goal of the day was the networking of relevant actors on the ground: doctors, clinics, health insurance companies, offices, rehabilitation sports associations, vascular sports groups, self-help groups. To the campaign „Classified PAVK“ There is also a website (www.verschlusssache-pavk.de) on which one can test his risk and receives information on PAOD as well as their diagnostics and treatment options. (Ad)