Leveraging the Cardiovascular Team in Peripheral Artery Disease Diagnosis: A Call to Action

Abstract

Craig J Beavers,1 Youssef Bessada,2 Rachel Bond,3 Kristen Veneman,4 Geoffery D Barnes5 1Department of Pharmacy Practice and Science, University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy, Lexington, KY, USA; 2Department of Pharmacy Practice, University of Connecticut School of Pharmacy, Storrs, CT, USA; 3BHMG Cardiology Mercy Gilbert, Gilbert, AZ, USA; 4Elliot Vascular Surgery, Elliot Hospital, Manchester, NH, USA; 5Frankel Cardiovascular Center, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USACorrespondence: Craig J Beavers, Department of Pharmacy Practice and Science, University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy, 789 South Limestone Street, Lexington, KY, USA, Tel [phone], Email [email protected]: Lower extremity peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a common atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) involving the aortoiliac, femoropopliteal, and infrapopliteal arterial segments. PAD remains a largely underdiagnosed and undertreated condition. The ankle-brachial index (ABI) is a simple and widely available test that is key detection tool in the diagnosis of PAD and is prognostic for mortality and morbidity. The cardiovascular (CV) team is a diverse array of health care clinicians (eg, nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants/associates, pharmacists, podiatrists) who have the qualifications and skills to be able to recognize when patients are at risk for PAD and perform an ABI. It is critical that the healthcare community recognize the critical role the CV team could play in improving outcomes and reducing disparities for patients with PAD.Keywords: atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, team-based care, ankle-brachial index, health disparities

Keywords

• atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease
• team-based care
• ankle-branchial index
• health disparities