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Table 3 Summary of survey results

From: Current utility of the ankle-brachial index (ABI) in general practice: implications for its use in cardiovascular disease screening

 

General practitioners

Practice nurses

Nurse practitioners

District nurses

Overall

% Who typically performs ABI measurement within General Practices?

5.2 (5/95)

50.5 (48/95)

7.4 (7/95)

9.5 (9/95)

72.6%

[remaining 27.3% referred to secondary care (15.8%) or DN teams not based within General Practices (11.6%)]

% who consider themselves or are considered by colleagues to be competent at ABI measurements

11

48

56

60

32

Training

     

  • % of General Practices with staff trained for ABI measurement

3

30

4

5

42

  • % of respondents who currently undertake ABI measurement and have received ABI training

20

64

43

100

65

ABI Methodology

     

% who correctly identified ABI method and equipment according to current guidelines:

     

  • All respondents

38

71

80

100

61

  • Respondents currently undertaking ABI measurement

0

68

80

100

66

(breakdown of individual assessment points below)

  1. % who would rest patients prior to ABI measurement

     

   • All respondents

65

93

100

100

82

   • Respondents currently undertaking ABI measurement

0

89

100

100

81

[reasons for not resting patients: lack of time 76% (13:17); not considered necessary 24% (4:17)]

  2. % who identified correct equipment used for Brachial SBP measurement

     

   • All respondents

80

93

80

100

87

   • Respondents currently undertaking ABI measurement

80

96

100

100

95

  3. % who said they would measure the brachial SBP in both arms

     

   • All respondents

86

93

100

100

87

   • Respondents currently undertaking ABI measurement

20

93

100

100

86

  4. % who identified correct equipment used for Ankle SBP measurement

     

   • All respondents

88

96

100

100

93

   • Respondents currently undertaking ABI measurement

80

96

100

100

86

  5. % who said they would assess more than one foot/ankle arteries

     

   • All respondents

83

93

100

100

90

   • Respondents currently undertaking ABI measurements

60

93

100

100

91

  6. % who said they would calculate ABI by dividing the highest ankle SBP by the higher brachial SBP

     

   • All respondents

46

75

100

100

67

   • Respondents currently undertaking ABI measurements

20

79

100

100

77

% who experience difficulty locating ankle/foot pulses

54

59

40

100

59

% who experience difficulty maintaining position of Doppler probe whilst simultaneously pumping up BP cuff

39

33

20

20

33