Peripheral vascular disease (PVD) is a broad term that describes those conditions that cause a reduction in blood flow to the areas of the body outside the brain and heart. While these conditions can occur in any peripheral vessels, they most commonly occur in the lower extremities. Some cases of PVD cause little to no problems for the individual. However, for some, it can cause severe problems including amputation and even death. Therefore, it is important for you to be knowledgeable about common conditions affecting the peripheral vessels. In this course, you will learn about the peripheral vascular diseases that you will likely encounter when working with older adults including peripheral artery disease (PAD), chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), deep vein thrombosis, and lymphedema.

The goal of this course is to educate nursing professionals in post-acute care with tools to understand and explain the pathophysiology, symptoms, and treatment of PVD-related conditions.