Frequently Asked Questions

Q. I was diagnosed with PAD 20 months ago. Exploratory surgery determined that bypass or a stent could not be done. I have been taking Pletal, Zocor and aspirin along with exercise and have been able to walk a little farther. Are any other medications being used to help with this disease? Will anything be available soon?
A. It's good that you are seeing some progress with your current treatment plan of medications and exercise, and that you are able to walk a little further. There are only three drugs approved by the FDA for treatment of PAD. These are Trental®, Pletal® and Plavix®. Pletal helps the pain of intermittent claudication and improves the blood flow so you can walk further. Trental was the first drug used to improve the blood flow, and is less commonly used today. Plavix is used to prevent blood from sticking together causing little clots and thus can help prevent a heart attack or stroke. Aspirin is also used to keep the blood from sticking together. There are several new medications undergoing clinical trials, but none that are likely to be approved within the next year or two. In this issue we are starting a section on clinical trials plus we will have a section on our web site this fall about current clinical trials. We will keep you posted.

Q. I am a 65 year old woman. I consistently feel a heart beat in and around my belly button. When I tell doctors this, they look at me like I'm crazy and say they don't know why I would feel a heart beat in my navel. It keeps me awake at night. Can you please tell me if this is something that I would need to see a vascular doctor for? If so, what could it possibly be?
A. Thank you for contacting the Vascular Disease Foundation. We do not think you are crazy. In fact, we recommend you see your doctor soon and have them check for a possible abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). Others have described a similar sensation and it turned out to be an AAA. Keep in mind a few things: It can be very serious and fatal if it bursts, so you need to make sure if you do or don't have one. Typically, no intervention is done until the diameter of the AAA is 5 centimeters or so. AAA is more common in males, which is why your doctors may not have thought about it. However, it does occur in females, and especially with a family history. The test to determine if you have an AAA is an ultrasound which can be done by a vascular lab or in some doctor offices. Please refer to our web site or the Spring 2004 issue of Keeping in Circulation for additional information about AAA.