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Treating Peripheral Vascular Disease (Peripheral Artery Disease)

When you’re a patient at Providence, we help you feel better today and reduce your risk of more serious disease tomorrow. We work with you to create a personalized plan to treat your peripheral vascular disease. This plan includes everything from diagnosis and treatment to the post-care support you need to feel your best. The result is compassionate, whole-person care for your body, mind and spirit.

Why Choose Us for Peripheral Vascular Disease Care?

At Providence, we see the life in you. We are committed to making a positive difference in every life we touch.

Our patients are at the heart of everything we do, which is why we’re always looking for ways to make your experience better. We go beyond conventional medical care when we think a holistic treatment will help improve your well-being. For example, your doctor might recommend a specialized diet that studies show reverses the effects of arteriosclerosis, which is the most common cause of peripheral vascular disease.

Our improved referral process makes it easier for patients to stay with Providence, the network they trust. We’ve also introduced a program to help patients get faster care through virtual visits with a nurse practitioner. This patient-centered approach is why patients have trusted Providence with their peripheral vascular disease care for more than 60 years.

We take a team-based approach to treating your peripheral vascular disease. Why? Because we know this leads to the best results. Every Providence patient has access to world-class care from leaders in the field. Your multidisciplinary care team includes board-certified heart care specialists who have superior outcomes treating the most complex conditions. Your heart care team works closely with nurse navigators to coordinate your care with your primary care physician, peripheral artery disease rehabilitation specialists to help decrease leg pain and discomfort, dietitians to help you make heart-healthy food choices, and physical therapists to help you improve mobility and keep living life to its fullest.

We understand that the impact of heart disease is greater in marginalized communities. Genetics plays a part, but unequal access to great health care is also a factor. At Providence, we value, respect and support the racial, ethnic, religious, gender, sexual and spiritual identities of all our patients. We are deeply committed to making sure everyone in our diverse communities has equal access to the best heart care. To do this, we offer location-specific services that help meet our patients’ needs. This includes translation for non-English-speaking patients, telehealth and transportation assistance. And we never turn a patient away, regardless of their ability to pay. Instead, we work harder to make sure every patient is treated equally and with dignity – whoever you are, and wherever you’re at.

As a patient at Providence, you belong to one of the largest community-based networks for heart care in the United States. This means your local heart care team shares knowledge and experience with other cardiac specialists across 51 hospitals in seven states. If specialty care is needed, your heart care team can easily reach the physicians with the most expertise. Take the story of our heart disease patient Donny Jones. When his lifelong heart condition became worse, his Providence cardiologist reached out to the location where he could get the advanced treatment he needed. Then he was back home just a few days later. The power of our network is one of the reasons more than 400,000 heart patients choose Providence each year.

Providence is well known for offering options – and hope – to patients seeking the most advanced therapies to treat peripheral vascular disease. We participate in national and international data registries that track cardiovascular outcomes. This helps us learn more to continually improve our care for you. Our doctors and scientists also support groundbreaking research projects. Our leadership helps us provide better heart care – and a better life – for you and your loved ones.

More About Peripheral Vascular Disease

Peripheral vascular disease (also called peripheral artery disease) is a circulation disorder most commonly caused by atherosclerosis, which happens when fats and cholesterol build up in an artery wall. Blood vessels then become narrowed or blocked. The result can be that organs and/or limbs may not get enough blood flow to function properly. The feet and legs are most commonly affected.

Testing and Diagnostics

Doctor using stethoscope on patient while seated at desk

Your heart care team uses many different methods to find out which therapies work best for you. They look at your symptoms, other medical conditions and overall health. They use the most advanced diagnostics to evaluate your condition. Depending on your case, this may include one or more of the following:

  • Abdominal CT scan
  • Abdominal vascular ultrasound, arterial and venous
  • Angiography
  • Ankle brachial index (ABI)
  • Blood test
  • Carotid ultrasound
  • Chest X-ray
  • Congenital cardiology assessments
  • CT imaging
  • CT angiography, coronary CT angiography
  • Doppler ultrasound
  • Exercise stress test/treadmill stress test
  • Intravascular ultrasound
  • Peripheral arterial testing

Personalized Treatment for Heart Murmurs

We know that no two patients are the same. This is why your care team works with you to design an individualized treatment plan based specifically on your heart condition and your personal needs. Every treatment plan includes lifestyle changes to support your recovery and long-term heart health.

Your care plan may include one or more of the following therapies:

Find Heart Care Close to You

Meet the Team

At Providence, you'll have access to a vast network of dedicated and compassionate providers who offer personalized care by focusing on treatment, prevention and health education.