Diagnostic considerations in occlusive arterial disease.

Abstract

The diagnostic approaches to the problem of occlusive arterial disease have been reviewed. The history and physical examination are most useful in establishing the diagnosis, localizing the most proximal level of the arterial involvement, and categorizing the patient's stage of disease. Functional evaluation of limb blood pressures and flow velocity at rest and after exercise provide useful data for estimating the degree of the arterial involvement, and this information can be used as the baseline for evaluating the effects of therapy.