More than 8 million people in the United States are affected by peripheral artery disease (PAD), a condition that causes blockages in the arteries that supply blood to the legs. Earlier this year, the American Heart Association (AHA) found that structured exercise therapy is one of the most effective therapies to improve symptoms of PAD and is recommended as a first-line intervention.
In a recently published statement by the AHA, a research team chaired by Dr. Diane Treat-Jacobson with the University of Minnesota School of Nursing provides a guide for delivering supervised exercise therapy programs, such as supervised walking on a treadmill, to patients with PAD.
Dr. Treat-Jacobson is available to comment on the importance of providing a guide that assists clinicians and administrations when implementing supervised exercise therapy for people living with PAD.
Diane Treat-Jacobson, Ph.D.
“We have known for many years that supervised exercise therapy is a very effective intervention for patients who have peripheral artery disease, but only recently has this therapy been approved for reimbursement by Medicare and other insurance providers. This created a need for the development of new programs that could effectively deliver this first-line therapy in accordance with national guidelines.
“The AHA Science Advisory harnessed the knowledge and experience from national clinical and research experts to provide a practical guide to help centers meet the demand for these programs that have arisen across the country.”
Diane Treat-Jacobson, Ph.D., RN, is a professor and the associate dean for research in the School of Nursing and the Cora Meidl Siehl Chair in Nursing Research for Improved Care. Dr. Treat-Jacobson’s research is focused on promoting awareness, timely identification and improved treatment for the patients who suffer from PAD. She is recognized as a national and international expert in the development and implementation of exercise interventions for patients with symptomatic PAD and in the assessment of outcomes documenting the effects of these interventions.
Treat-Jacobson is the project director of PAD Prairie Initiative at the School of Nursing, which partners with rural community members to diagnose, treat and educate health care providers, patients and the public about PAD.
Contact information
Diane Treat-Jacobson
[email protected]
612-624-7613 (o)
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