Added: May 01, 2010
What is Peripheral Artery Disease or PAD. It is the formation of cholesterol rich plaque in the walls of the blood vessels outside of the heart. In the legs it can cause pain called claudication. The screening test for PAD in the legs is called the ABI or anke brachial index. If the ABI is abnormal, you may need an angiogram. The treatment of PAD is with exercise, medications, angioplasty and surgery, depending of the extent of the disease.
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