September is Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) Awareness Month
September is Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) Awareness Month and Dr. Polly Kokinos at South Bay Vascular Center & Vein Institute is sharing critical limb- and life-saving information about this chronic vascular disease.
Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) is a common circulatory problem in which narrowed arteries reduce blood flow to the limbs. According to the CardioVascular Coalition, https://cardiovascularcoalition.com/ PAD affects nearly 20 million Americans, and an estimated 200,000 of them – disproportionately from minority communities – suffer avoidable amputations every year.
Although estimates suggest that anywhere from 12 to 20 percent of individuals over the age of 60 are living with PAD, many Americans have not even heard of the disease. Symptoms include leg pain while walking, numbness in the toes, wounds on the toes or feet, and gangrene. Individuals with high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, or a history of smoking are at tremendous risk for PAD.
Experience Counts When It Comes To Your Health
Dr. Polyxene (Polly) Kokinos, a board-certified Vascular and General Surgeon with over 25 years of experience, is recognized as one of the region’s foremost authorities in the diagnosis and treatment of PAD. Dr. Kokinos has dedicated her entire career to serving the South Bay community as an independent physician. She founded the nationally accredited South Bay Vascular Center & Vein Institute and specifically designed the state-of-the-art facility in Campbell, California as a PAD intervention and treatment center…Dr Kokinos has performed more peripheral arterial revascularization procedures than any other physician in Northern Californina…and that’s why more independent primary care physicians and Nephrologists refer their patients with Vascular Disease to Dr Kokinos than to any other Vascular Surgeon in the South Bay: We Offer Hope When Others Say There Is None!
We Can Help!
Early detection is important to controlling PAD and allowing patients a full selection of treatment options. Dr. Kokinos has conducted extensive outreach to primary care physicians, internists, podiatrists, and orthopedic surgeons about the management of lower extremity arterial and venous disease and the signs and symptoms to look for.
“Early diagnosis and treatment are critical—because amputation is not the only answer,” explains Dr. Kokinos. “Over the past 15 years, the interventional treatment of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) has changed significantly. Minimally invasive endovascular procedures and pedal access techniques have replaced many traditional surgical procedures. By combining advanced medical technology with our years of experience and expertise, we can offer hope—even when others say there is none.”
For more information about Peripheral Arterial Disease and South Bay Vascular Center & Vein Institute, go to southbayvascular.com.