Health Screenings
 

Erasers Vascular Screening: A Simple Test Can Save Your Life!

Almost everyone in this country knows about heart disease. They know the importance of prevention, detection, and treatment and the huge impact it has on people’s health. Unfortunately very little is commonly known about vascular disease outside the heart. Vascular disease outside the heart causes almost as much death and disability as heart disease, and more than any cancer.

Stroke, is the third leading cause of death in the United States, and is also the leading cause of disability. The # 1 cause of stroke is linked to the blockage in the carotid arteries. An estimated 20 to 30 million Americans are at risk for various vascular diseases, which include peripheral arterial disease (PAD), carotid artery disease and aortic aneurysms.

Find out if YOU are at RISK!…

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Will my testing be performed by qualified professionals?

Yes. Unlike many other companies performing vascular screening tests in Florida, our company provides experienced and nationally credentialed health professionals. Dr. Dunne has practiced in Bradenton and Sun City Center for over 30 years and is Board Certified in General, Thoracic and Cardiovascular surgery. He is currently the Medical Director of two independently owned ICAVL (Intersocietal Commission for the Accreditation of Vascular Laboratories) nationally accredited vascular labs. All of our exams are also overseen and reviewed, prior to the physician’s reading, by a Registered Vascular Technologist (RVT), certified by the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (ARDMS).

Is the testing uncomfortable in any way?

Ultrasound is very patient friendly. There are no injections and no exposure to radiation. It uses a high frequency sound wave and the principles of sonar. Gel is placed on the skin, and a probe is rubbed across the skin…it’s that simple!

Why not have the full exam done instead of just the screening?

Screenings are designed for those without signs or symptoms. Your doctor would only order tests in the presence of clinical signs. Many individuals with the conditions mentioned such as Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA), Carotid Artery Disease and Peripheral Arterial Disease may be completely free of symptoms for years while the underlying disease develops. Additionally, a complete Carotid Artery Exam in a hospital may costs as much as $770, while a screening for three (3) separate conditions covering legs, the abdomen and the Carotid Arteries, costs substantially less. A screening gives one the opportunity to know before submitting to a complete exam, whether or not the exam is necessary. Why waste time and money going down the wrong path?

Does my insurance cover the cost of the screening?

Unfortunately, insurance generally, does not cover screening procedures. However if during the screening process we find that you may require a full exam. Most insurance, including Medicare, will cover the cost of necessary ultrasound examinations ordered by a licensed physician.

3 types of exams are performed during your vascular screening:

• Carotid Duplex Scan - can detect the most frequent cause of stroke, internal carotid artery stenosis blockage, which can be fatal or permanently disabling. If carotid artery disease is detected and treated, it can prevent most strokes.
   
• PAD (Peripheral Arterial Disease) Test – can quickly determine if there is any impairment in the circulation to the limbs. The exam can identify blockages in the leg arteries and help determine whether treatment is needed. Undetected PAD can lead to serious disability or amputation. Those with PAD are also three times as likely to die of heart attacks and strokes as those without the disease.
   
• Aortic Duplex Scan – can tell if the aorta, the body’s main artery, has an aneurysm and whether it needs treatment. Aortic aneurysms occur when the wall of the aorta progressively weakens. It has an 80 percent fatality rate if it ruptures. The vast majority of people with aneurysms are never diagnosed and many are never diagnosed until they experience fatal rupture.

Test # 1: Carotid Artery / Stroke Screening………………......$45.00

Test # 2: Peripheral Arterial Disease Screening……………....$45.00

Test # 3: Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Screening………….....$45.00

Total Vascular Evaluation (All 3 tests)……………………….…$135.00

No additional fees will be added. Tests are interpreted and mailed to you and/or your physician within three weeks. Insurance does not cover screenings.** The patient and any other person responsible for payment has a right to refuse to pay, cancel payment, or be reimbursed for payment of any service, examination or treatment which is performed as a result of the advertisement and within 72 hours of responding to the advertisement for the free, discounted or reduced fee service examination or treatment.

For information about our next scheduled screening, call us at:
(877) 414 -8346. Your call to us might save your own life!

Source: Text & Photo: Erasers Inc. 3/18/05, updated 5/12/06

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