Clinical & Experimental Cardiology
Open Access
ISSN: 2155-9880
+44 1300 500008
ISSN: 2155-9880
+44 1300 500008
M Eileen Walsh
University of Toledo, USA
Keynote: J Clin Exp Cardiolog
Lower extremity peripheral artery disease (PAD) affects the lives of 8.5 million Americans ages 40 years and older and has a significant impact on morbidity, mortality, and quality of life. Approximately 202 million people worldwide have PAD. Many patients with coronary atherosclerotic disease are at risk of developing PAD. Thus cardiovascular clinicians need to have the requisite knowledge and skill to appropriately diagnosis and manage patients with PAD. The purpose of this presentation is to discuss the 2016 American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology Guideline on the management of patients with lower extremity peripheral artery disease. This contemporary guideline addresses the diagnosis and management of patients with lower extremity PAD. Writing committee members with expertise in PAD were nominated as representatives from respective professional organizations. The writer of this abstract served as one of two nurse representatives. Protocols to critique and appraise the scientific literature as to the quality and level of the evidence were established. Recommendations were voted upon and peer-reviewed. Guidelines were premiered at the scientific sessions. During this presentation specific recommendations to guide the clinical assessment, including the importance of a thorough history and physical examination; resting and exercise ankle brachial indexes, physiological testing modalities, and imaging studies will be discussed. Medical therapies including, antiplatelet, oral anticoagulants, statins, antihypertensive, cilostazol, glycemic control and smoking cessation will be reviewed. Options to minimize tissue loss as well as surgical revascularization for claudication will be discussed. Specific recommendations to screen for atherosclerotic disease in other vascular beds and the role of structured exercise therapy for PAD will be highlighted.
M Eileen Walsh is a Professor in the College of Nursing at the University of Toledo. She has a long-standing career spanning more than 30 years of practice working with patients with cardiovascular diseases in inpatient, outpatient, specialty clinics, and rehabilitation settings. She has served as the Society for Vascular Nursing representative to the PAD writing committee. She has presented at numerous local, regional, national, and international vascular conferences. She has several publications on PAD and other cardiovascular topics.
Email: eileen.walsh@utoledo.edu