The PAD Collaborative, a group of 17 organizations convened by the American Heart Association (AHA) to address the growing burden of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) in the USA, has released a new and expanded version of its interactive map.
The updated tool tracks trends in PAD-related lower limb amputations by incorporating precise geographical information and integrates new, post-pandemic datasets as they become available. This tool is free and available to the public.
With an interactive map, it visualizes the number of people in each US county and congressional district who experienced lower extremity amputation within five years of being diagnosed with PAD. This five-year tracking approach provides a clearer picture of how PAD impacts patients over time, highlighting where the risk of amputation is highest and offering a snapshot of PAD-related care across geographic regions, according to the AHA.
According to leading experts in PAD, screening and management are crucial to prevent amputations.
“The enhanced map provides a powerful lens into the communities most affected,” said Marc Bonaca (University of Colorado, Aurora, USA), who is an AHA volunteer and chair of the PAD Collaborative. “This insight empowers healthcare professionals, individuals and community stakeholders to take targeted action, turning PAD from a tragic inevitability into a public health victory.”
The expanded map is part of the PAD Collaborative’s work to advance the goals of the PAD National Action Plan to facilitate changes aimed at reducing the number of people facing life-altering lower limb amputations.
In addition to geographic data, the new map includes filters to explore key demographic characteristics such as age, race and gender, allowing users to better understand trends in PAD outcomes across different populations. The expanded tool provides detailed insights that help illustrate regional differences in PAD outcomes, supporting a clearer understanding of where targeted approaches and resources may be needed across the country.
The data used to create this heat map is publicly available Medicare and U.S. Census Bureau data through 2023. Amputation rate is defined as the number of lower limb amputations per 1,000 Medicare patients with PAD.
