Browns Mills, NJ - Deborah Heart and Lung Center will host its annual Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) screening event on Saturday, September 20, 2025, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. The complimentary screening will be held in person by appointment only at the Deborah Specialty Physician’s office in Toms River, located at 599 Route 37 West, Second Floor, Toms River, New Jersey.

PAD is a vascular disease that occurs when arteries become clogged with fatty cholesterol deposits, reducing blood flow to the legs. The number of people affected by PAD continues to grow, driven in part by the rising rates of obesity and diabetes. PAD currently affects an estimated 18 million individuals nationwide.

Common symptoms include:

Painful cramping in one or both hips, thighs or calf muscles after walking or climbing stairs (claudication)

Leg numbness or weakness

Coldness in a lower leg or foot, especially when compared with the other side

Sores on the toes, feet or legs that won’t heal

A change in the color of legs

Hair loss or slower hair growth on feet and legs

Slower growth of toenails

Shiny skin on legs

No pulse or a weak pulse in legs or feet

In addition to the risk of amputation, individuals with PAD are at significantly higher risk for heart attack, stroke and death. Fortunately, PAD can be detected early and managed effectively with lifestyle changes, medication and non-surgical procedures.

You may be at risk for PAD if you have any of the following factors:

Smoking (current or former)

Diabetes

High blood pressure

High cholesterol

African-American ethnicity

History of heart disease, heart attack or stroke

Family history of PAD, heart disease or stroke

Obesity (BMI over 30)

Age 50 or older

Deborah’s PAD screening event includes a test called the ankle-brachial index, a painless, noninvasive procedure that compares the blood pressure in your ankles with the pressure in your arms. This test can help determine if you may have PAD. If appropriate, additional noninvasive testing may be recommended.

PAD screenings are by appointment only. To register or learn more, please call 609-496-5929.

Deborah Heart and Lung Center

Deborah Heart and Lung Center in Browns Mills, New Jersey, is a teaching hospital in the prevention, diagnosis, research and treatment of heart, lung and vascular diseases. Founded in 1922, Deborah has treated more than 2.3 million hearts from every corner of the United States and 87 countries. From performing the first adult and pediatric open-heart surgeries in New Jersey, to achieving the lowest open heart surgery mortality risk in the state-as recognized by the New Jersey Department of Health, Deborah is consistently recognized as a leader overall and in patient care from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). It is ranked among the top hospitals in New Jersey for patient satisfaction; holds a top-tier Society of Thoracic Surgeons rating which places Deborah among the best cardiac surgery programs in North America; and is rated High Performing in five specialties, Heart Arrhythmia, Heart Attack, Heart Bypass Surgery, Heart Failure, and Pacemaker Implantation by U.S. News & World Report. Deborah is an Alliance member of the Cleveland Clinic Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute.

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