title: [Early diagnosis of peripheral arterial disease by measuring the ankle-brachial index in patients of nursing consultations in primary health care].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to detect peripheral arterial disease (PAD) by the measurement of the ankle-brachial index (ABI) in patients of nursing consultations in primary health care who presented a moderate or high risk in Framingham risk score.
  
  
  METHODS
  This descriptive, cross-sectional and observational study included patients with a moderate or high risk in Framingham risk score, who went to programmed nursing consultations in a primary health care center in Elche during the period between March and April in 2009. A measurement of ankle-brachial index was performed. No patients were known to have arterial disease.
  
  
  RESULTS
  ABI was measured in 52 patients. Mean age (standard deviation) of subjects was 66.5 (8.8) years and 51.9% were male. A low ABI (<0.9) was found in 13 patients. Therefore, PAD was diagnosed in 25% of the sample subjects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nursing consultations in primary care are a right context to make an early diagnosis of PAD, by measuring ABI. This should be part of the exploration of chronic patients who come periodically to nursing consultations, particularly those ones with a moderate or high cardiovascular risk. In this way preventive measures could be intensified to prevent future cardiovascular complications in these patients.
authors: Centro de Salud de San Fermín, Hospital General Universitario de Elche. romero_che@gva.es
authors: Consolación
authors: C
authors: Romero-Vilaplana
authors: Francisco Javier
authors: FJ
authors: Pérez-Aledo
authors: Amelia
authors: A
authors: Botella Molina
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D055109:Ankle Brachial Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009733:Nursing Diagnosis; D058729:Peripheral Arterial Disease / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011320:Primary Health Care