Patient Education
How is Peripheral Arterial Disease (P.A.D.) Diagnosed?
Exercise Testing
The ABI can be supplemented with an exercise test, which involves having the person walk on a treadmill for a specific length of time or until they begin to feel discomfort. As soon as they stop exercising, the person lies down and the blood pressure is measured in the ankle. This type of testing is particularly helpful in persons who describe symptoms that may be claudication, but have an ABI in the normal range when it is taken while resting.The exercise test can also be performed by having the person stand by a wall and repeatedly lift their heels up off the floor and then lower them. Repeating the heel raises 30-50 times provides adequate exercise to determine whether the ABI changes with activity.