One in every 20 Americans over the age of 50 has P.A.D., a condition that raises the risk for heart attack and stroke. Peripheral arterial disease, or P.A.D., develops when your arteries become clogged with plaque—fatty deposits that limit blood flow to your limbs, especially your legs. Just like clogged arteries in the heart, clogged arteries in the legs mean you are at risk for having a heart attack or stroke.
P.A.D. is more common in African Americans than any other racial or ethnic group. This may be in part because some of the conditions that raise the risk for developing P.A.D., such as diabetes and high blood pressure, are more common among African Americans.
The following article written by the US Department of Health and Human Services provides an exceptional overview of their ongoing research and findings about PAD in the African American Community. We encourage any of our patients interested in learning more about how PAD impacts this community group to click on the following link.
https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/files/docs/public/heart/pad_extfactsheet_aa_508.pdf
Dr. Polly G Kokinos, a board certified Vascular and General Surgeon in Campbell, CA. is recognized as one of the regions foremost authorities in the diagnosis and treatment of PAD. With offices in both Campbell and Gilroy, CA. Dr. Kokinos has dedicated her 24 year career to serving the South County community as a Vascular Surgeon and is a pioneer in the evaluation and treatment of patients suffering from Peripheral Arterial Disease.
Unlike other Vascular Surgeons in the region who do their work at a local hospital or in shared facilities, Dr. Kokinos’ does her surgeries in a private, nationally accredited Vascular Surgery Center of Excellence. She focuses entirely on treating patients suffering from complex vascular disorders and unlike a traditional hospital she has the most advanced imaging and device technology available anywhere in the world. Most importantly, unlike a University or community hospitals, Dr. Kokinos’ patients experience the individualized care of “One Patient, One Doctor and One Nurse” rather than the cold, informal “production” environment of a typical hospital.
If you or anyone you love suffers from any of the conditions listed above, please call our office at 408-376-3626 or contact us to schedule an appointment. Most insurances are accepted and our staff typically can schedule an appointment within a few days for an initial consultation and non-invasive vascular ultrasound study. All ultrasound testing is done in our on-site Vascular Ultrasound Lab, The Institute for Vascular Testing making it significantly easier for our patients to be fully evaluated in a single visit and in a single facility.
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