News
Free vascular screenings
University Medical Center will offer fast, non-invasive vascular screenings Friday, Sept. 28, in the Fourth Floor Vascular Clinic, 1501 N. Campbell Ave. in Tucson from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The tests are free for people 55 and older with a history of either hypertension, diabetes, smoking, high cholesterol or known cardiovascular disease. Screening is by appointment only; to schedule, please call (520) 694-6608.
Non-cardiac vascular disease, including stroke, peripheral arterial disease (PAD), carotid artery disease and aortic aneurysms, causes as much death and disability as heart disease and more than any cancer.
It can be a “silent” disease—generally not symtomatic until a catastrophic event occurs, such as a stroke or aneurysm rupture.
Medical experts now have available ultrasound and other screening technology designed to find vascular disease and painless, non-invasive tests that take just minutes to complete.
Tests include a carotid artery scan to look for blockages in the arteries to the brain, an abdominal ultrasound to detect aortic aneurysms, and non-invasive pressure tests to detect peripheral artery disease.
The combination of all three tests, a blood pressure measurement and recording of the heart rhythm takes about 15 minutes. Results of all the testing will be provided immediately following the screening.
“Many people may have an aneurysm or peripheral vascular disease and not know it until it’s too late. These simple tests can save your life,” said Joseph Mills, M.D., UA chief of vascular surgery.
Certain conditions are associated with a higher risk of vascular disease, including:
Age—people older than 55 are at greater risk:
Hypertension;
High blood cholesterol;
Smoking;
Diabetes;
Lack of exercise;
Family history of vascular disease;
Previous heart or leg problems.
Vascular disease outside of the heart kills and cripples countless Americans every year, despite widely available procedure to detect its most common forms.
Carotid artery disease leads to stroke, which remains the third leading cause of death in the United States with nearly 157,000 people dying annually. A large proportion of strokes are caused by plaque in the carotid arteries. In 2006 it was estimated that Americans would pay about $57.9 billion for stroke-related medical costs and disability.
One in every 20 Americans over the age of 50 has peripheral artery disease (PAD), which affects eight million to 12 million people in the United States. Individuals with PAD suffer a five-fold increased risk of heart attack or stroke,
More than 15,000 people in the U.S. die each year from ruptured aortic aneurysms (AAA). It’s estimated that more than one million people are living with undiagnosed AAA and at least 95 percent of these individuals can be successfully treated if the condition is detected prior to rupture.
The tests are free for people 55 and older with a history of either hypertension, diabetes, smoking, high cholesterol or known cardiovascular disease. Screening is by appointment only; to schedule, please call (520) 694-6608.
Non-cardiac vascular disease, including stroke, peripheral arterial disease (PAD), carotid artery disease and aortic aneurysms, causes as much death and disability as heart disease and more than any cancer.
It can be a “silent” disease—generally not symtomatic until a catastrophic event occurs, such as a stroke or aneurysm rupture.
Medical experts now have available ultrasound and other screening technology designed to find vascular disease and painless, non-invasive tests that take just minutes to complete.
Tests include a carotid artery scan to look for blockages in the arteries to the brain, an abdominal ultrasound to detect aortic aneurysms, and non-invasive pressure tests to detect peripheral artery disease.
The combination of all three tests, a blood pressure measurement and recording of the heart rhythm takes about 15 minutes. Results of all the testing will be provided immediately following the screening.
“Many people may have an aneurysm or peripheral vascular disease and not know it until it’s too late. These simple tests can save your life,” said Joseph Mills, M.D., UA chief of vascular surgery.
Certain conditions are associated with a higher risk of vascular disease, including:
Vascular disease outside of the heart kills and cripples countless Americans every year, despite widely available procedure to detect its most common forms.
Carotid artery disease leads to stroke, which remains the third leading cause of death in the United States with nearly 157,000 people dying annually. A large proportion of strokes are caused by plaque in the carotid arteries. In 2006 it was estimated that Americans would pay about $57.9 billion for stroke-related medical costs and disability.
One in every 20 Americans over the age of 50 has peripheral artery disease (PAD), which affects eight million to 12 million people in the United States. Individuals with PAD suffer a five-fold increased risk of heart attack or stroke,
More than 15,000 people in the U.S. die each year from ruptured aortic aneurysms (AAA). It’s estimated that more than one million people are living with undiagnosed AAA and at least 95 percent of these individuals can be successfully treated if the condition is detected prior to rupture.
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