NG Vascular pushes earlier PAD detection during Awareness Month

NG Vascular & Vein Center is urging earlier screening for peripheral artery disease during PAD Awareness Month, pointing to faster referrals for nonhealing wounds and advanced circulation problems. The Chicago-area practice says its Rapid Limb Salvage Program can coordinate evaluation and imaging for urgent cases within 48 to 72 hours.

Why it matters: - Peripheral artery disease can reduce blood flow to the legs and feet, leading to slow-healing wounds, tissue loss and possible amputation. - Early evaluation can help identify circulation problems before a wound worsens or mobility declines. - PAD is also a marker of broader atherosclerotic disease and cardiovascular risk.

What happened: - NG Vascular & Vein Center used Peripheral Artery Disease Awareness Month to urge patients, families and healthcare providers in Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana to watch for PAD warning signs. - The practice highlighted its Rapid Limb Salvage Program for patients with advanced circulation disease and possible limb-threatening ischemia. - Naz ar Golewale, MD, RPVI, medical director of NG Vascular & Vein Center, said earlier diagnosis can improve the chances of wound healing and limb preservation.

The details: - PAD develops when narrowed or blocked arteries reduce blood flow, most often to the legs and feet. - More than 10 million Americans are estimated to have PAD, and many remain undiagnosed. - Warning signs include leg pain or cramping while walking, numbness or weakness, cold feet, skin-color changes, weak pulses, pain at rest and wounds on the feet or toes that heal slowly. - Advanced PAD can severely reduce circulation enough to threaten tissue and the limb. - NG Vascular’s Rapid Limb Salvage Program aims to coordinate vascular consultation, diagnostic imaging and a treatment plan within 48 to 72 hours for appropriate urgent cases. - Patients may benefit from prompt vascular evaluation for a wound that has not healed for more than two weeks, a diabetic foot ulcer, persistent foot or leg pain, numbness, cold feet, toe discoloration, known or suspected advanced PAD, or a recommendation for amputation when a vascular second opinion may help. - Evaluation may include a vascular consultation, ankle-brachial index testing, arterial duplex ultrasound and, when appropriate, angiography. - For selected patients, NG Vascular performs image-guided, minimally invasive procedures such as angioplasty, stent placement and atherectomy. - Many patients can return home the same day after these procedures. - Dr. Golewale said poor blood flow can keep a wound from healing and that circulation should be evaluated early when symptoms worsen.

Between the lines: - The message reflects a shift toward treating PAD as a time-sensitive limb-salvage issue, not just a leg-pain complaint. - The emphasis on second opinions before amputation suggests some patients may still have revascularization options when assessed quickly. - The campaign also points to the need for closer coordination among primary care, podiatry, wound care, diabetes and vascular specialists.

What's next: - NG Vascular is encouraging patients with concerning symptoms, especially those with diabetes or a history of vascular disease, to seek evaluation before symptoms become severe. - Patients who need a PAD evaluation or urgent second opinion can contact the Rapid Limb Salvage Program in Illinois at (708) 888-1167 or Indiana at (219) 208-6218. - NG Vascular also directs patients to NGvascular.com for more information.

The bottom line: - For PAD, faster diagnosis can mean more treatment options, better wound healing and a greater chance of avoiding amputation.