Early diagnosis can be the key to preventing serious complications and improving outcomes for patients with a disease more prevalent and deadlier than most cancers. Unfortunately, for individuals with Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD), achieving timely and accurate diagnosis has been a significant challenge. However, a new initiative is set to change the landscape of PAD testing, offering hope to patients and healthcare providers alike.

Shockingly, a recent poll of near 500 PAD patients that was conducted by the Global PAD Association revealed that over 70% of PAD patients were misdiagnosed by their primary care physicians upon their first complaints of classic PAD symptoms such as leg pain, claudication, and neuropathy. Patients over 40 reported that their symptoms were misdiagnosed as other conditions, including back/sciatica, diabetic neuropathy, fibromyalgia, arthritis, or simply attributed to old age. Similarly, younger patients with high risk factors say they were told they are too young to have PAD, with symptoms being dismissed as dehydration, nutrient deficiencies, or a pulled muscle. Yet a study published April 14, 2024 in Science Direct shows an increase in patients between 18-40 presenting with advanced stage PAD, known as Critical Limb Ischemia (CLI) between 2016 and 2020. One contributing factor to this rise is an increase in adolescent diabetes. This alarming statistic underscores the pressing need for improved awareness and access to accurate PAD testing.

Introducing PADtest.org: A Powerful Collaboration
PADtest.org was created through a partnership between Biomedix, the developer of PAD test, PADnet, and the Global PAD Association (GPAD), a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting individuals affected by PAD. This joint initiative recognizes the importance of healthcare gatekeepers on the frontlines with patients in catching PAD in its early stages. PADtest.org aims to shine a spotlight on Primary Care Physicians and Podiatrists who offer in-clinic testing for PAD, with the ultimate goal of enhancing early diagnosis and reducing amputations. PADtest.org provides an easy-to-use, interactive map for patients to quickly and easily discover a PCP or Podiatrist near them who offers PAD testing in-clinic.

The urgency of early PAD diagnosis cannot be overstated. Left untreated, PAD can lead to severe complications such as heart attack, stroke, and amputation. Timely diagnosis not only allows for the prompt initiation of conservative treatments, including medication and vital lifestyle modifications such as tobacco cessation, dietary changes, and exercise, but also provides the opportunity to proactively stall or slow the progression of this debilitating condition. Ultimately, early intervention can significantly improve the quality of life for individuals living with PAD and potentially prevent the devastating consequences associated with its advancement.

Show Co-Host Kym McNicholas and Guest John Romans:

“Patients tell me all the time that their primary care physician doesn’t know much about PAD and wish they had a doctor who not only would’ve gotten them diagnosed sooner, but also understood their journey with PAD better,” explains GPAD founder and CEO Kym McNicholas. “We hope that PADtest.org inspires more primary care physicians and podiatrists to join this initiative to democratize access to PAD testing so we can improve the prognosis for so many patients across the country,”

“At Biomedix, we are excited to partner with GPAD on this exciting initiative,” said John Romans, CEO of Biomedix, “the early identification of chronic conditions such as PAD are one of the most impactful things that can be done to improve patient outcomes. Identifying a chronic condition early in the progression of the disease enables a wider variety of lower-cost and lower-risk interventions to manage the condition, also enabling a wider range of outcomes that can improve patient quality of life. Finally, knowing that 86 cents of every dollar of healthcare spent in the United States is due to caring for advanced chronic conditions, we believe early PAD identification can have a huge influence on reducing US healthcare costs.”

Disclaimer:

The Heart of innovation is for educational and informational purposes only.

Advice and information offered are not a substitute for medical advice from your own supervising physician.

Do not act on any information provided in this series without the explicit consent from your healthcare team.

If you are experiencing leg pain, leg cramps, neuropathy, have toe or foot wounds that won't heal, ask your physician to test for Peripheral Artery Disease.

If you think you are having a medical emergency call your local emergency number or go to the nearest emergency department.