Vascular

What Is Peripheral Vascular Disease?

Peripheral vascular disease (PVD) is a disease of the blood vessels outside the heart and brain. Peripheral vascular disease is caused by structural changes in the blood vessels, such as inflammation and tissue damage, and fatty build-ups in arteries that block normal blood flow. This build-up can increase the risk for heart attack or stroke. It can also be a narrowing of vessels that carry blood to the legs, arms, stomach or kidneys. This narrowing can result in poor blood flow to arms and legs, with peripheral vascular disease of the legs being the most common. When walking or exercising, leg muscles do not get enough blood, and painful cramps can occur.

More than 10 million Americans are affected by (PVD). If you're concerned you might be one of them, take a few moments to answer these questions:

Do You Have the Following Symptoms?

• Tightness or squeezing pain in the calf, thigh or buttock during exertion
• Decreased leg strength and function, and poor balance
• Cold and numb feet or toes
• Sores that are slow to heal
• Foot pain at rest
• Erectile dysfunction
• Feet and toes that become pale from exercise or when elevated
• Loss of hair on the feet and toes
• Feet that turn red when dangled
• Blue or purple marks on the legs, feet or toes
• Ulcers on the feet or toes
• Gangrene infection, indicated by black skin on the legs or feet

If you're experiencing one or more of these symptoms, please contact your doctor. For a free referral to one of our board-certified physicians, visit our online physician finder or call the BayCare Customer Service Center at (727) 462-7500.

The Morton Plant Hospital Vascular Program

Education

We strive to educate our patients about the dangers of PVD and other vascular diseases. When you come to us, our clinical specialists explain the disease, the screening, treatments options and how you can be helped.

Screening and Diagnosis

Our Vascular Program offers an abdominal aortic aneurysm screening to determine your risk for vascular disease, such as peripheral vascular disease (PVD). Specifically, an abdominal aortic aneurysm screening helps determine your risk of an aneurysm forming along the lining of your arterial wall. Screenings are conducted by clinical specialists who work in collaboration with your primary care physician. If a problem is detected, our board-certified specialists are ready to provide you with expert Morton Plant Mease treatment and care.

To schedule a screening, call (727) 461-8555.

Treatments

Cutting-edge technology and state-of-the-art equipment help us provide you with the best and most comprehensive care. If additional treatment is needed, we can help you find a board-certified physician.

Services offered include:

• Heart catheterizations
• Temporary pacemaker insertions
• Intra-aortic balloon pump insertions
• Inferior vena cava filter insertions
• Vascular diagnostic ultrasound
• CT angiography
• Diagnostic carotid angiograms
• Abdominal aortagrams
• Femoral, renal and pelvic angiograms
• Peripheral angioplasty
• Peripheral stenting

Follow-up

Our team will call you 10 and 30 days after your visit to see how you're doing. We want to make sure you were able to see your doctor, if necessary, as well as answer any questions you have about your treatment or condition.

Morton Plant Hospital
300 Pinellas Street
Clearwater, FL 33756
(727) 462-7000
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