title: Pharmacist-initiated peripheral arterial disease screening program in a community pharmacy setting.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the feasibility of implementing a pharmacist-initiated peripheral arterial disease (PAD) screening program in the community setting and to determine the ability of this screening to increase the number of patients identified with PAD.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three locations of a large pharmacy grocery chain in the Cincinnati and Dayton, OH, area, from February 3, 2009, to May 31, 2009.
  
  
  METHODS
  39 patients 50 years or older with a diagnosis of hypertension, dyslipidemia, and/or diabetes.
  
  
  METHODS
  PAD screening, including an assessment of PAD symptoms and an ankle-brachial index (ABI) calculation using a handheld Doppler. Patients who screened positive were provided with appropriate counseling on possible treatments, medications, and lifestyle modifications and referred to their primary care physician for further evaluation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Successful implementation of program, number of patients referred to their physician for follow-up, and number of patients with ABI scores indicating PAD.
  
  
  RESULTS
  17 of the 39 patients screened (44%) were referred to their physician for follow-up because they had ABI scores indicating PAD, symptoms indicating PAD, or noncompressible vessels. Using ABI scores, PAD was detected in nine patients (23.1%). Pharmacists implemented the program successfully.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study successfully demonstrated the feasibility of implementing a pharmacist-initiated PAD screening program in the community setting. The implementation of this screening program included the acquisition of affordable equipment, training of pharmacists, and access to the appropriate patient population. This study also was effective in increasing the recognition of PAD in patients screened in the community setting.
authors.affiliation: James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Cameron
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Winfrey
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wortman
authors.forename: Stacey
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Frede
authors.forename: Natalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kunze
authors.forename: Wayne F
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Conrad
authors.forename: Pamela C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Heaton
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D055109:Ankle Brachial Index / Q000379:methods; D003157:Community Pharmacy Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology; D003925:Diabetic Angiopathies / Q000175:diagnosis; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009820:Ohio; D058729:Peripheral Arterial Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D010595:Pharmacists / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler / Q000379:methods