LORELY BURT MP GIVES A LEG-UP TO RAISE AWARENESS OF LIFE-THREATENING DISEASE

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 18th Apr 2007

Solihull MP Lorely Burt gave a leg up for awareness of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) when they attended a special clinic in the House of Commons today (18 April 2007).

PAD affects more than 2.7million people in the UK each year, yet few people have heard of the condition. It is caused by fatty patches or 'plaques' developing inside the arteries, reducing the flow of blood to the legs. The typical symptom is a cramp-like pain which develops in the calves, thighs or buttocks when walking or exercising. Other symptoms include ulcers on the feet or ankles.

But worryingly, people with PAD will not know that they are at a high risk of having a heart attack or stroke. The Target PAD group, who organised the clinic, estimate that more than 4,000 people could be living with PAD in the average constituency. People with PAD are six times more likely to suffer a heart attack or stroke than those without the disease and urgently need to be identified and treated.

Lorely Burt MP said: "It's vital that people are aware of PAD and don't dismiss leg pain as a sign of getting older. It's not just something they should put up with.

"As I've found out at today's clinic, GPs can test for PAD with a simple and painless blood pressure check. My message for constituents is don't ignore leg pain - get it checked with your GP."

The risk of PAD increases with age. In the UK, around one in six people over the age of 55 have some degree of PAD. By the time they reach 70, around 15-20% of people will have some form of PAD. [iv] Risk increases if a person smokes, is overweight, has diabetes, raised cholesterol or high blood pressure.

The clinic was organised by Target PAD - a group of healthcare professionals and lay people working to raise awareness of PAD. Shiela Dugdill, a specialist vascular nurse from the Target PAD group says: "I see the consequences of PAD in my clinics every day - patients who've had a stroke or heart attack.

"We need to make sure that people are aware of PAD, so we can diagnose the disease early. Proper treatment can reduce patients' risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke."

People wanting to know more about PAD can call a freephone information line on 08000 214 215 to request a leaflet or visit www.whatispad.co.uk.