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| 12.30.04 Times-Ledger Papers |
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Vascular diseases are more common, especially as people age. However, it can occur at younger ages, as well. Higher risks are usually associated with anyone over the age of 50-55 with a family history of diabetes, high blood pressure, smoking, or high blood cholesterol.
To some, even mentioning cardiovascular tests such as angiography, catheterization, chest X-rays, and CAT Scans can be intimidating, so the first medical step for you might be vascular health screenings. While not a substitute for any of the more intensive tests, vascular health screenings can help physicians identify patients with atherosclerosis before it can be detected with blood or stress tests.
These screenings have proven quite successful and in some cases organizations offer free screenings, annually. In 2002, the University of Maryland, in conjunction with the American Vascular Association conducted the first-ever free national screening in 17 U.S. locations, discovering that 13 percent of the 900 participants showed signs of potentially lethal or disabling vascular conditions including blocked carotid arteries, aortic aneurysms and peripheral arterial disease.
Closer home, physician-ordered screenings are offered at several Queens medical facilities including the Vascular Diagnostic Lab in Forest Hills, as well as the Vascular Diagnostics Associates and New York Hospital Medical Center of Queens, both located in Flushing. Additionally, over the past 10 years, mobile screening services have become more available. These screenings are shorter, less expensive, more basic versions of the complex scans and do not have to be ordered by your physician.
Three simple, non-invasive screenings can provide clear indicators of vascular disease or the potential for future problems:
1. Carotid Artery/Stroke Screening (CIMT) - scans the carotid arteries in the neck for plaque build-up. According to the American Stroke Association, approximately 700,000 Americans have a new or recurrent stroke each year and over one-third of these are caused by carotid-artery blockage.
2. Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Screening - looks for the existence of an aneurysm in the abdominal aorta. Sometimes the walls of this part of the aorta weaken and bulge in one area, which creates an abdominal aortic aneurysm.
3. Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) Screening - tests for plaque buildup in the lower extremities, which is linked to coronary artery disease. These screenings serve to identify benchmarks of heart and vascular risk and can be precursors to treatment and counseling needed to improve or maintain your health.
Life Line Screening Radiology provides mobile screening services in 48 states and began serving New York earlier this year. Savitri Swamipersaud, a Life Line help service coordinator works in collaboration with Queens community groups and medical facilities to set up screening events. Swamipersaud says Life Line's mission is to "make people aware of an undetected health problem and encourage them to seek follow-up care with their physician."
Swamipersaud explains the ease of setting up a screening event in Queens: "We just need a 40-by-40 space with tables and chairs. Often we will use a local church and just put flyers up all over that particular community." Each screening takes 10-20 minutes and prices vary depending on the facility providing the screenings.
Currently, most insurance companies or Medicare do not cover these services. The screening results are interpreted by a board-certified radiologist and made available to the client in 21 days, unless there are indicators of potential vascular disease, which are addressed immediately.
Life Line offers several screenings including the Carotid and Peripheral tests at $55 each ($125 - $150 for test packages) and for an additional $40 you may also receive an osteoporosis screening. To have a Life Line screening event in your Queens community you can call 800-897-9177 ext. 647 or 756.
As a caution, while screenings can serve in identifying some conditions associated with vascular disease, they are not fail-safe and cannot recognize signs to avoid such medical crises as hemorrhagic strokes, which occur when a bulge in a blood vessel in the brain bursts or atrial fibrillations that are caused by clots forming and floating to the brain. Ultimately, if you are in the higher risk categories, the wise choice is to always consult with your physician.
Still, screenings are relatively quick and completely painless methods of predicting and preventing many serious vascular problems. They are easy, not-too-expensive initial steps in ensuring that your good health and quality of life are maintained. Says Swamipersaud, "There isn't a price you can put on saving someone's life."
How the vascular system works
The vascular system is made up of the vessels that carry our blood. Arteries carry oxygen-rich blood away from the heart. Veins carry oxygen-poor blood back to your heart. The main artery from the heart is called the aorta. As the blood travels, it enters smaller and smaller blood vessels, reaching every cell in the body, dropping off nutrients and picking up waste products and carbon dioxide. The blood then starts the trip back in the veins, entering larger and larger ones as it goes, passing through the kidneys and the liver on the way to drop off waste products. Vascular disease such as atherosclerosis, which is the hardening of the arteries, interferes with this smooth process and can cause heart attacks, strokes and other serious conditions. |
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