Sign in Subscribe
Cardiology

Uniting Against Peripheral Arterial Disease: Vascular Disease Foundation Takes the Lead

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

The Vascular Disease Foundation, in partnership with 14 national public health organizations and professional vascular societies, has formed a unique coalition to raise awareness about peripheral arterial disease (PAD). The PAD Coalition, co-chaired by Alan T. Hirsch, MD, and Marge Lovell, RN, CCRC, CVN, aims to improve clinical outcomes for individuals with PAD through a unified national public awareness campaign and coordinated clinician education efforts. The inaugural meeting, held on June 17, 2004, at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) campus, brought together vascular healthcare professionals to create the coalition's structure. PAD, a highly prevalent disease characterized by blockages in the arteries of the legs, affects 8-12 million Americans, with 1 in every 5 people over 70 having the disease.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Vascular Disease Foundation has formed a coalition with 14 national public health organizations and professional vascular societies to raise awareness about PAD.
  • The PAD Coalition has identified a unified national public awareness campaign and coordinated clinician education efforts as top priority areas.
  • The coalition is co-chaired by Alan T. Hirsch, MD, a past-president of the Vascular Disease Foundation, and Marge Lovell, RN, CCRC, CVN, a current officer of the Foundation.
  • The inaugural meeting of the PAD Coalition was held on the NIH campus on June 17, 2004.
  • PAD is a highly prevalent disease, affecting 8-12 million Americans, and 1 in every 5 people over 70 has the disease.
  • The build-up of plaque in PAD is usually a result of atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries.
  • The Vascular Disease Foundation is a nonprofit, public educational organization dedicated to increasing awareness of the prevention, diagnosis, and management of vascular diseases.
  • Participating organizations include the American Association for Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation, American College of Cardiology, American College of Physicians, American Diabetes Association, American Heart Association, American Podiatric Medical Association, American Radiological Nurses Association, Peripheral Vascular Surgery Society, Society for Clinical Vascular Surgery, Society of Interventional Radiology, Society for Vascular Medicine and Biology, Society for Vascular Nursing, Society for Vascular Surgery, and the Society of Vascular Ultrasound.

Statistics:

  • 8-12 million Americans are affected by PAD.
  • 1 in every 5 people over the age of 70 has PAD.
  • 1 in 5 people over 70 have the disease.
  • PAD increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, and death by a significantly marked amount.

Sources:

  • NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net
  • Vascular Disease Foundation
  • National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the NIH
  • American Association for Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation
  • American College of Cardiology
  • American College of Physicians
  • American Diabetes Association
  • American Heart Association
  • American Podiatric Medical Association
  • American Radiological Nurses Association
  • Peripheral Vascular Surgery Society
  • Society for Clinical Vascular Surgery
  • Society of Interventional Radiology
  • Society for Vascular Medicine and Biology
  • Society for Vascular Nursing
  • Society for Vascular Surgery
  • Society of Vascular Ultrasound

Read more