What to Expect During a PAD Evaluation

Walking into a doctor’s office for a vascular evaluation might feel intimidating, but rest assured: a PAD evaluation is usually straightforward, painless, and informative. Knowing what will happen can ease your nerves. If you’re scheduled to see Dr. Halaby or any vascular specialist in Venice or Sarasota for possible peripheral arterial disease, here’s what you can expect during that visit.

Discussion of Your Symptoms and History

First, your vascular doctor will talk with you in detail about your symptoms and medical history. This is your chance to share everything you’ve noticed:

When do you feel leg pain? Is it only when walking or also at rest?
How far can you walk before pain starts, and does it get better when you stop?
Do you have any wounds on your feet, or other symptoms like numbness or cold feet?

Be honest and specific – these details help the doctor understand what might be going on. The doctor will also ask about risk factors like smoking, diabetes, high blood pressure, and cholesterol. Don’t worry about forgetting something; they’ll likely prompt you with questions. If you have previous medical records or test results (like a cholesterol test or any prior scans), bring those along.

Next, the doctor will perform a physical exam focusing on your legs. They’ll check the pulses in your groin, behind your knees, and feet. This simply means feeling for the strength of your blood flow at those points. They might also look at the color and temperature of your skin, check for any hair loss on your legs, and examine any scars or sores you have. You might be asked to remove your shoes and socks so the doctor can examine your feet closely (so make sure to wear easily removable footwear). This exam shouldn’t cause any pain – it’s just observation and touch.

Simple Tests in the Office

After the initial talk and exam, if PAD is suspected, the key test usually done is the Ankle-Brachial Index (ABI). Despite the fancy name, an ABI test is as simple as taking blood pressure readings. The clinician will put blood pressure cuffs on your arms and ankles, then use a small ultrasound device (Doppler) to listen to blood flow. They measure the blood pressure at your ankle and compare it to the blood pressure in your arm. If the pressure in your ankle is significantly lower than in your arm, it suggests that blood isn’t getting down to the leg well – a strong hint of PAD. Sometimes you might do this test at rest and then after a few minutes of walking on a treadmill (to see how exercise affects your pressures). The ABI test is painless – the only thing you’ll feel is the pressure of the cuff inflating, just like when you get your arm blood pressure taken.

Another common test is a vascular ultrasound of the leg arteries. This is a safe, noninvasive test that uses sound waves (no radiation) to create an image of your blood vessels. It’s the same technology used to see a baby in an ultrasound. For a leg artery ultrasound, some gel is applied to your skin and a technician or doctor moves a small probe along the arteries in your legs. You might hear whooshing noises from the machine – that’s the sound of your blood flow being recorded. The ultrasound can show any blockages or narrowings in the arteries and how blood is flowing around them. This test doesn’t hurt at all; you just have to lie still for a short time.

The great thing is that at Dr. Halaby’s vascular practice in Venice, we have an accredited vascular lab on-site. This means tests like ABI and ultrasound can often be done soon, without having to schedule them elsewhere. (In technical terms, our office is IAC-certified, indicating high quality in vascular testing – but what matters to you is that you’re in experienced hands for these tests.)

In some cases, additional tests might be recommended, but not usually on the first visit unless absolutely needed. For example, if the ultrasound suggests a severe blockage that might need treatment, the doctor could schedule an angiography (an imaging test where dye is injected into the arteries to pinpoint blockages) for a later date. Or a CT/MR angiogram might be ordered to get a detailed map of your arteries. These are generally only for more advanced cases or pre-surgical planning. Most patients do not need these invasive tests initially.

Reviewing Results and Next Steps

Once your history, exam, and initial tests are done, the doctor will usually have a pretty clear picture of whether you have PAD and how severe it might be. Before you leave, they will discuss the results with you. For instance, they might say, “Your ABI is low, which means you do have PAD in your left leg,” or “The ultrasound shows a blockage behind your knee.” If your tests are normal, they might explore other causes for your symptoms (and you can breathe a sigh of relief that PAD isn’t the issue).

If PAD is confirmed, don’t panic. The doctor will talk to you about a treatment plan. Depending on your situation, this could include:

Lifestyle changes (like a walking exercise program, quitting smoking, diet improvements).
Medications (perhaps to improve blood flow or manage risk factors like cholesterol and blood pressure).
Further evaluation or procedures if needed (for example, scheduling an angioplasty or stent if you have a severe blockage – we’ll cover those in another article).

Feel free to ask questions during this discussion. It’s important you understand your condition and what to do next. Common questions might be: “How far along is my PAD?” “Do I need a procedure or can we manage it with medication?” “What can I do at home to help?” The doctor is there to make sure you leave with answers and a clear plan.

Remember, a PAD evaluation is a collaborative effort. You and the doctor both want to improve your health and prevent complications. By the end of the evaluation, you should have a good understanding of your leg circulation and confidence about the next steps, whether it’s treatment or just periodic monitoring.

If you’re preparing for a PAD evaluation in Sarasota, Venice, or Port Charlotte, FL, we hope this overview eases your mind. At Dr. Issam Halaby’s clinic, we pride ourselves on a thorough yet comfortable evaluation process. Our goal is to make sure you understand your vascular health. Feel free to schedule a PAD consultation with Dr. Halaby – whether you’re experiencing symptoms or just have risk factors and want to be checked. Knowing what’s going on with your circulation is empowering, and we’re here to guide you through every step of that discovery and beyond.

Request Your PAD Evaluation