ABSTRACT
The ankle-brachial index is valuable for screening for peripheral artery disease in patients at risk and for diagnosing the disease in patients who present with lowerextremity symptoms that suggest it. The ankle-brachial index also predicts the risk of cardiovascular events, cerebrovascular events, and even death from any cause. Few other tests provide as much diagnostic accuracy and prognostic information at such low cost and risk.
Footnotes
↵* Dr. Gornik has received research grant support from Summit Doppler Systems, Inc, and is a named co-inventor on a patent related to the noninvasive diagnosis of peripheral artery disease for which she may receive royalties.
- Copyright © 2012 The Cleveland Clinic Foundation. All Rights Reserved.