Hamilton to offer vascular education program

Published 12:02 pm Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Hamilton Medical Center will offer Dare to CARE, a free, two-part comprehensive vascular disease program focusing on early detection and education, at 6 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 29, and at scheduled evening appointment times on Tuesday, Aug. 30.

Dare to CARE will be at Hamilton’s Brown Conference Center.

“When vascular disease is detected early, most strokes can be avoided,” said vascular surgeon Ian Hamilton, who champions Dare to CARE locally.

The first component of the program involves lectures about vascular disease given by a panel of physicians. Topics include the definition of the various types of vascular disease, causes and risks for the disease, and the latest treatment options.

The screening includes a blood pressure check and non-invasive ultrasound examination of the carotid arteries, abdominal aorta and the circulation of the legs.

If a person is suspected of having vascular disease, the findings are reported to his or her primary care physician. The patient’s primary care physician then refers the patient to a vascular specialist for a thorough examination, when appropriate.

The program is offered quarterly and is free to men and women over the age of 60 and for those over 50 with vascular risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, obesity, smoking or family history of vascular disease.

To register for Dare to CARE, call (706) 272-6114. Space is limited.

The CARE acronym stands for:

C – Carotid artery disease, the primary source of preventable deaths.

A – Abdominal aortic aneurysms, the 10th leading cause of death in men.

R – Renal artery stenosis, responsible for at least 20 percent of patients on dialysis.

E – Extremity artery disease, which affects 12 million Americans and has a mortality rate significantly higher than breast cancer