If you are experiencing symptoms that could be related to arterial insufficiency, your medical provider can use several tools to confirm a diagnosis.
During your first office visit, your provider will spend time with you and learn more about your symptoms and overall health. They will:
- Conduct a physical exam
- Discuss your medical history and your current medical conditions
- Listen to your heart and lungs with a stethoscope
- Check your blood pressure, heart rate and oxygen level
Blood tests can help identify factors that may increase your risk for vascular disease, like high cholesterol, issues with blood clotting or signs of inflammation. When these risk factors are present, they can impact blood flow and lead to problems like blockages.
A coronary angiogram, also called a catheter angiogram, is a procedure that allows doctors to diagnose conditions such as blockages or narrowing in the blood vessels. During this procedure, which takes place in the cardiac catheterization lab, you can be lightly sedated so you’re relaxed and calm. You will lie on a table and a thin tube called a catheter will be inserted into a blood vessel, typically in your groin area. The catheter is guided to the area being examined, and contrast dye is injected through the catheter to make the blood vessels visible on X-ray images. The X-ray machine takes multiple images, which let your provider watch the catheter and the dye move through your blood vessels. When the dye slows or stops, doctors know there is a blockage or narrowed vessel.
A CT angiogram, also called a CTA, is an imaging test that uses a CT scan and contrast dye to create detailed pictures of your blood vessels. This helps doctors see blockages, aneurysms or other problems inside arteries and veins throughout your body. During this test, you will lie on a table and an IV will be placed in your hand or arm. Contrast dye will be injected into the IV, and you will have painless electrodes attached to your chest. This will allow your medical team to monitor your heart rate and rhythm. The table slides into the CT machine, which takes a series of images from various angles. The procedure usually takes less than an hour.
An echocardiogram (echo) uses ultrasound technology, or sound waves, to capture an image of your heart’s structure.
During the echocardiogram, your technologist will place a wand on the skin of your chest above your heart. Sound waves from the wand bounce off your heart, creating an image of your heart’s chambers and valves.
An echocardiogram is an outpatient test that takes less than an hour. You can return home as soon as the test is completed.
An electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG) is a noninvasive test that records your heart’s electrical activity.
During an electrocardiogram, temporary electrodes are placed on the chest to monitor and record electrical signals. A computer translates those signals into a wave pattern to be interpreted by a medical provider.
An electrocardiogram is a simple test that can be performed within minutes in an inpatient or outpatient setting. Other forms of ECG track the heart’s rhythms for longer periods. Your doctor may ask you to wear an event monitor for a week or longer or a Holter monitor for up to 48 hours.
A four-limb blood pressure measurement involves measuring blood pressure in both arms and both legs simultaneously while using a doppler ultrasound. This painless test allows doctors to assess blood flow and pressure differences between the arms and legs. By dividing the blood pressure reading of your ankle by the blood pressure reading from your arm, doctors can find your ankle-brachial index (ABI). An ABI of .9 or higher is acceptable, but an ABI of lower than .9 may mean that you have peripheral artery disease.
A vascular ultrasound is an imaging study that uses sound waves to create images of your blood vessels. This painless test helps doctors examine the arteries and veins and see blood flow patterns. During the test, you lie on a table and a gel is applied to your skin by a technologist. The technologist then presses a transducer wand on your skin, and the sound waves bounce off the areas being examined and are converted into images by a computer. A vascular ultrasound generally takes less than 45 minutes. It evaluates for abnormal blood flow, blockages and narrowing in the blood vessels that could indicate vascular disease.
