Legs for Life, held earlier this fall at Medical Imaging of Fredericksburg, tested 110 residents of Fredericksburg, Stafford, Spotsylvania, King George, Colonial Beach, and Richmond for vascular conditions. The fifth annual event was sponsored locally by Virginia Interventional & Vascular Associates (VIVA), Virginia Heart & Vascular Institute, and the Society of Interventional Radiology.
Event Coordinator Pamela McGrath said Legs for Life volunteers use blood pressure tests and ultrasound to diagnose peripheral arterial disease and abdominal aortic aneurysm. An additional visual examination is performed to rule out venous disease. Almost half of the individuals screened locally showed some symptoms of vascular disease.
Nationwide, the Society of Interventional Radiology estimates that 10 million people suffer from peripheral arterial disease, an indicator for heart attacks and strokes, yet many with the disease are unaware that they have it. “With the high prevalence of vascular disease, an indicator for heart attacks and strokes, yet many with the disease are unaware that they have it.
“With the high prevalence of vascular disease, events like this are an opportunity to educate and screen the public about a silent but potentially life threatening disease,” said Victor J. D’Addio, MD, board-certified vascular surgeon with VIVA.
Legs for Life’s 25 local volunteers on September 24 included board-certified interventional radiologists R. Donald Doherty Jr., MD, and John D. Statler, MD, board-certified vascular surgeon Victor J. D’Addio, MD, nurse practitioner Jennifer Dawson, medical professionals, and administrative staff from VIVA; and nurses and technologists from Medical Imaging of Fredericksburg, interventional radiology departments and nursing units at Mary Washington Hospital and Stafford Hospital, Imaging Center for Women, and Medical Imaging of North Stafford.
For more information about symptoms, tests, and treatments for vascular conditions visit www.vivassociates.com/Services.
For more information about Legs for Life nationwide, visit www.legsforlife.org.
Pictured above is Dr. Victor D’Addio of Virginia Interventional & Vascular Associates consults with a Legs for Life participant.