The ankle-brachial index test is a quick, noninvasive way to check your risk of peripheral artery disease (PAD). Peripheral artery disease is a condition in which the arteries in your legs or arms are narrowed or blocked. People with peripheral artery disease are at a high risk of heart attack, stroke, poor circulation and leg pain.

The ankle-brachial index (ABI) is an efficient tool for objectively documenting the presence of lower-extremity peripheral arterial disease (PAD) It is a simple, reproducible, and cost-effective assessment that can be used to detect lower-extremity arterial stenosis in the primary care setting, as well as to identify patients at increased risk for lower-extremity arterial injury after penetrating or blunt trauma.

ABI is the ratio of the blood pressure in the lower legs to the blood pressure in the arms. The Ankle Brachial Index (ABI) is the systolic pressure at the ankle, divided by the systolic pressure at the arm. It has been shown to be a specific and sensitive metric for the diagnosis of Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD). Additionally, the ABI has been shown to predict mortality and adverse cardiovascular events independent of traditional CV risk factors. The major cardiovascular societies advise measuring an ABI in every smoker over 50 years old, every diabetic over 50, and all patients over 70.

While wearing a Holter monitor may be a little inconvenient, it's an important test that may help your doctor diagnose your condition.

For most people, there are no physical risks involved in an ankle-brachial index test. You may feel some discomfort when the blood pressure cuffs inflate on your arm and ankle, but this discomfort is temporary and should stop when the air is released from the cuff. If you have severe leg or arm pain, your doctor may not recommend an ankle-brachial index test. Instead of an ankle-brachial index test, your doctor may recommend a different imaging test of the arteries in your legs.

Generally, you won't need to follow any special instructions before your appointment to have an ankle-brachial index test performed. You may want to wear loose, comfortable clothing that allows the technician performing your ankle-brachial index test to easily place a blood pressure cuff on your ankle and upper arm.

Ankle Brachial Index