About 8.5 million U.S. adults suffer from peripheral artery disease (PAD), which remains among the leading causes of cardiovascular events including heart attack and stroke. However, researchers are working to advance the science and practice of PAD treatment.
The American Heart Association (AHA) has published a scientific statement in the journal Circulation.
Improving quality of life
The scientific statement, “Advancing Peripheral Artery Disease Quality of Care and Outcomes Through Patient-Reported Health Status Assessment” has three aims:
We need to develop training programs and techniques to assess mental and physical health for different populations.
Kim G. Smolderen, PhD
- Document patient-reported outcomes to capture the impact of PAD from the patient’s perspective.
- Develop and test strategies to analyze and interpret health status data.
- Distribute evidence-based, standardized health status assessments that incorporate physical, social, and emotional aspects into routine clinical care.
The statement's co-author Carlos Mena-Hurtado, MD, associate professor of medicine, and lead author Kim G. Smolderen, PhD, associate professor of medicine and a clinical psychologist by training, launched the Vascular Medicine OutcomeS (VAMOS) research program to understand the factors that contribute to adverse health outcomes using in-depth interviews and patient focus groups to improve quality of life.
“Historically, there has been a lack of measurement-based specialized care for PAD. This statement provides a framework to transition from routine practice to a patient-centered approach,” said Mena.
“The patient-clinician relationship is evolving. We have begun to evaluate the experiences of patients to define the quality of care being provided to patients. Next, we need to develop training programs and techniques to assess mental and physical health for different populations,” said Smolderen.