Peripheral Vascular Disease Follow-up

  • Author: Everett Stephens, MD; Chief Editor: David FM Brown, MD   more...
 
Updated: Mar 15, 2010
 

Further Outpatient Care

Patients who have significant peripheral vascular disease but whose illness is not so severe or acute that it requires inpatient treatment may be discharged with appropriate follow-up. However, counsel these patients regarding the potential effects of various activities and medications on the course of their illness. Advise patients to stop smoking and to avoid cold exposures and medications that can lead to vasoconstriction, including medications used for migraines and over-the-counter medications.

Some recreational drugs (eg, cocaine) may have a deleterious effect on peripheral arterial tone, and beta-blockers may exacerbate the condition.

Consultation with providers who will be following the patient after ED discharge is advised when making decisions regarding the discontinuation of medications used for chronic medical conditions.

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Patient Education

For excellent patient education resources, visit eMedicine's Circulatory Problems Center. Also, see eMedicine's patient education article Peripheral Vascular Disease.

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Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Everett Stephens, MD  Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Louisville

Everett Stephens, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

David A Peak, MD  Assistant Residency Director of Harvard Affiliated Emergency Medicine Residency, Attending Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital; Consulting Staff, Department of Hyperbaric Medicine, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary

David A Peak, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians, American Medical Association, Society for Academic Emergency Medicine, and Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD  Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Editor-in-Chief, Medscape Drug Reference

Disclosure: Medscape Salary Employment

Gary Setnik, MD  Chair, Department of Emergency Medicine, Mount Auburn Hospital; Assistant Professor, Division of Emergency Medicine, Harvard Medical School

Gary Setnik, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians, National Association of EMS Physicians, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: SironaHealth Salary Management position; South Middlesex EMS Consortium Salary Management position; ProceduresConsult.com Royalty Other

John D Halamka, MD, MS  Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center; Chief Information Officer, CareGroup Healthcare System and Harvard Medical School; Attending Physician, Division of Emergency Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

John D Halamka, MD, MS is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians, American Medical Informatics Association, Phi Beta Kappa, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

David FM Brown, MD  Associate Professor, Division of Emergency Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Vice Chair, Department of Emergency Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital

David FM Brown, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

References

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  11. Hedin U, Wahlberg E. Gene therapy and vascular disease: potential applications in vascular surgery. Eur J Vasc Endovasc Surg. Feb 1997;13(2):101-11. [Medline].

  12. Henein MY, Anagnostopoulos C, Das SK, et al. Left ventricular long axis disturbances as predictors for thallium perfusion defects in patients with known peripheral vascular disease. Heart. Mar 1998;79(3):295-300. [Medline].

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  14. Levien DH. Vascular surgery. In: Introduction to Surgery. 2nd ed. 1993:208-14.

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  17. Yousuf AM, Pai NB. Noninvasive evaluation of vascular diseases. Hosp Physician. Apr 1991;48-52.

 
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