Question

A very active elderly patient has a documented diagnosis of arteriosclerosis obliterans. Common expected lower extremity physical exam findings include:

Answer 1

Answer: The lower extremities physical exam findings include:

Pulselessness

Paralysis

Paresthesia

Pain

Pallor.

Explanation: Arteriosclerosis obliteran also known as peripheral vascular disease is a disease involving the occlusion of arteries, most commonly in the lower extremities.

The term arteriosclerosis means hardening of the arteries. It is a diffuse process where the muscle fibres and endothelial lining of the walls of small arteries and arterioles become thickened.

Risk factor associated with arteriosclerosis obliteran include:

1. Smoking

2. Hyperlibidemia ( increased lipid level in the blood)

3. Diabetes mellitus

4. Hyper viscosity of the blood.

Answer 2

Common expected lower extremity physical exam findings include: weakness or sensory loss that resembles an acute aortic occlusion.

Explanation: Arteriosclerosis is a disease of the artery that usually occurs in old age. This occurs when fats and cholesterol builds and piles up (plague formation) in the walls of the arteries causing it to become thick and hard. The artery is a type of blood vessel that carries oxygenated blood which distributes blood all over the body.therefore, the symptoms of this disorder depends on the artery that is affected. arteriosclerosis obliterans occurs when plague forms at the abdominal aorta and small- and medium-sized arteries of the lower extremity of the body. They symptoms that will be observed includes:

- muscle weakness in the lower extremity from lack of proper circulation of Oxygen through blood.

- sever pains due to the blocked arteries.