Vascular screening is beneficial for those at increased risk for a given vascular disease.
If you answer “yes” to any of the statements below, you may be at increased risk for a particular type of vascular disease, and screening may be appropriate:
At Increased Risk for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm:
- I am a man over 60 years of age.
- I am a woman over 60 years of age who also has at least one of the following: high blood pressure, high-cholesterol, high triglycerides, diabetes, heart disease, or am being treated with medication for high blood pressure or high-cholesterol.
- I am a man or a woman over age 50 who has a family history of at least one close relative with Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm.
- I am a man or a woman over age 50 and I smoke currently or have smoked substantially in the past.
- My doctor has requested that I get screened.
At Increased Risk for Stroke & Carotid Artery Disease:
- There is a history of stroke in my immediate family: parents, grandparents, brothers or sisters.
- I have diabetes.
- I smoke currently or have regularly smoked in the past.
- I am over age 40 and I either have high cholesterol and/or high blood pressure or I take medicine for high cholesterol or high blood pressure.
- I have coronary artery disease or have had a heart attack, stent, angioplasty, or by-pass surgery.
- I have lower extremity arterial blockages in my legs.
- My doctor has requested that I get screened.
At Increased Risk for Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD):
- I am over 35 years of age and I smoke.
- I am over 40 years of age and I have high cholesterol, high tri-glycerides or high blood pressure or I am being treated for one or more of these conditions.
- I have diabetes.
- I am over 40 years of age and there is a history of PAD in my family.
- I have had a heart attack, stent or angioplasty, or bypass surgery.
- My doctor has requested that I get screened
If you answered "yes" to at least one of these questions you may benefit from screening.
If you already know you have a specific vascular disease, you should not have a screening. Instead please contact your doctor to arrange for appropriate full diagnostic testing.
Still not sure if you need screening? Take our quiz to find out!