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Jul 4, 2012 · Visit: stanfordmedicine25.stanford.eduVisit our page on the ABI here: https://stanfordmedicine25.stanford.edu/the25/ankle.htmlThis video provides a simple de...
- 8 min
- 658.3K
- Stanford Medicine 25
Oct 6, 2015 · A step by step video of how to do an ankle brachial index assessment with commentary. This is intended to help clinicians who are developing their lower limb...
- 7 min
- 28.9K
- Peripheral vascular disease made easy
Sep 12, 2024 · In this video, Dr. Rizvi breaks down everything you need to know about ABI (Ankle-Brachial Index) testing. He explains when ABI testing is recommended, how t...
- 2 min
- 2
- Advanced Foot & Ankle Centers of Illinois
- Overview
- What is an ankle brachial index test?
- Who typically needs this test?
- How is it done?
- What is a normal ankle brachial index reading?
- What does an abnormal reading mean?
- The bottom line
If you’re a healthy person without any circulatory issues, blood flows to and from your extremities, like your legs and feet, without any problems.
But in some people, the arteries begin to narrow, which may impede the flow of blood to some parts of your body. That’s where a noninvasive test called an ankle brachial index test comes in.
An ankle brachial index test is a quick way for your doctor to check the blood flow to your extremities. By checking your blood pressure in different areas of your body, your doctor will be better prepared to determine whether or not you have a condition called peripheral artery disease (PAD).
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at what an ankle brachial index test is, how it’s done, and what the readings may mean.
In essence, an ankle brachial index (ABI) test measures the blood flow to your legs and feet. The measurements can highlight any potential problems, like blockages or partial blockages in blood flow to your extremities.
The ABI test is particularly useful because it’s noninvasive and easy to conduct.
If you have PAD, your limbs may not be getting enough blood. You may feel symptoms like pain or muscle cramps when you’re walking, or possibly numbness, weakness, or a coldness in your legs.
What distinguishes PAD from other causes of leg pain are the symptoms that arise after a defined distance (e.g. 2 blocks) or time (e.g. 10 minutes of walking) and are relieved by rest.
Left untreated, PAD can lead to painful symptoms and it may increase your risk of losing a limb.
Not everyone needs an ABI test. But people with certain risk factors for peripheral artery disease can possibly benefit from one. Typical risk factors for PAD include:
•history of smoking
•high blood pressure
The good news about this test: It’s fairly quick and painless. Plus, you don’t have to do any special preparations before getting the test.
Here’s how it works. You lie down for a few minutes before the test begins. A technician will take your blood pressure in both arms and in both ankles, using an inflatable cuff and a handheld ultrasound device to hear your pulse.
The technician will start by putting a blood pressure cuff on one arm, usually the right arm. They will then rub a little gel on your arm right above your brachial pulse, which is just above the inside crease of your elbow. As the blood pressure cuff inflates and then deflates, the tech will use the ultrasound device or Doppler probe to listen for your pulse and record the measurement. This process is then repeated on your left arm.
Next come your ankles. The process is very similar to the one performed on your arms. You will remain in the same reclined position. The tech will inflate and deflate a blood pressure cuff around one ankle while using the ultrasound device to listen for your pulse in the arteries that supply blood to your foot. The process will then be repeated on the other ankle.
The measurements from the ABI test are converted into a ratio. For example, the ABI for your right leg would be the highest systolic blood pressure in your right foot divided by the highest systolic pressure in both arms.
Experts consider a normal range for an ABI test result to fall between 0.9 and 1.4.
Your doctor may be concerned if your ratio is below 0.9. This index is what one 2014 study called “a powerful independent marker of cardiovascular risk.” This puts you at risk of developing progressively shorter walking distances (lifestyle limiting claudication).
In advanced stages, PAD progresses to chronic limb threatening ischemia (CLTI) in which patients have rest pain (continual, burning pain) from lack of blood flow and/or develop non healing wounds. CLTI patients have a dramatically higher rate of amputation compared to patients with intermittent claudication.
Finally, while PAD does not cause heart disease or cerebrovascular disease, patients with PAD typically have atherosclerotic disease in other blood vessels. Thus, having PAD is associated with an increased risk for non-limb major adverse cardiac events such as stroke or heart attack.
Your doctor will also want to take into account any possible signs of peripheral vascular disease that you may be experiencing before making a diagnosis.
An ankle brachial index test, also known as an ABI test, is a quick and easy way to get a read on the blood flow to your extremities. It is a test that your doctor can order if they are concerned you may have symptoms of peripheral artery disease, or that you may be at risk for this condition.
This test can be very useful as one component of making a diagnosis of a condition like peripheral artery disease. This can help ensure that you get the most appropriate treatment right away.
The ankle-brachial index test is a quick, simple way to check for peripheral artery disease (PAD). The disease happens when narrowed arteries reduce the blood flow to the arms or legs. PAD can cause leg pain when walking. PAD also raises the risk of heart attack and stroke. The ankle-brachial index test compares the blood pressure in the ankle ...
Aug 20, 2014 · August 20, 2014. The ankle brachial index (ABI) is a common and useful exam in the outpatient setting to detect peripheral arterial disease. ABI’s should be measured in all people over the age of 50 if they are a diabetic or a smoker. It should also be checked in patients over the age of 60. While many doctors simply order this test, we show ...
People also ask
What is an ankle brachial index (ABI) test?
Who should have an ABI test?
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Can a post-exercise Abi test help with pad?
What does an ABI of 0.4 mean?
What is a normal Abi reading?
Aug 4, 2024 · 2. Divide the systolic blood pressure of the ankle by the systolic blood pressure of the arm. You will calculate the ABI for each leg individually. Use the highest value from your readings of the left ankle arteries and divide it by the value of the brachial artery.
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